Morganable News/Security&Justice
The report detailed how ISWAP adopted a coordinated strategy that effectively disrupted humanitarian operations in the region
kaNo —
A total of 792 people were killed in 882 security incidents recorded across Nigeria in June 2026, underscoring the country’s persistent security challenges despite intensified military and law enforcement operations, a new report by SARI Global has revealed.
The report, titled Nigeria Monthly Security Overview for June 2026, provides a detailed account of violent incidents across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, highlighting a surge in coordinated insurgent attacks, banditry, and counter-operations by government forces.
According to the report, the Nigerian military killed 274 insurgents during the period, reflecting what analysts described as an aggressive operational tempo by security agencies.
However, the data also showed that non-state armed groups remained deadlier overall, accounting for the highest number of fatalities despite initiating fewer attacks.
The document, obtained by the Punch, was also published on ReliefWeb, a global humanitarian information platform managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
ISWAP Intensifies Attacks In Borno
The area, which includes the garrison towns of Monguno, Cross Kauwa, Baga, and Kukawa, has now emerged as a critical humanitarian flashpoint.
The report detailed how ISWAP adopted a coordinated strategy that effectively disrupted humanitarian operations in the region.
“June opened at an elevated baseline and escalated through its first half before settling into a violent plateau,” the report stated, noting that the first week recorded 217 incidents, which sharply increased to 278 incidents in the second week, the highest of the month.
Analysts observed that the most intense period occurred between June 8 and June 14, with June 14, 8, 11, and 13 identified as peak days when insurgent attacks, banditry, and state counter-operations overlapped across multiple regions.
The report explained that although security forces managed to contain the escalation, they were unable to reverse it, leading to sustained levels of violence through the end of the month.
It noted that the pattern of violence was “front-loaded,” with high lethality persisting due to continued rural attacks, particularly in the North-West.
A major incident occurred on June 24, when ISWAP fighters reportedly infiltrated the 20 Units Housing area in Monguno and abducted an international non-governmental organisation worker along with a local security guard.
Further compounding the crisis, ISWAP fighters carried out a series of arson attacks targeting aid logistics.
On June 29, two trucks contracted by humanitarian organisations were set ablaze along the Monguno-Gajiram road, following a similar attack on June 18.
The report said the destruction of food cargo was a deliberate strategy aimed at discouraging commercial transporters from working with aid agencies, thereby limiting the supply of essential commodities to internally displaced persons in the region.
“ISWAP has made staff unsafe at night and supply routes unsafe by day, effectively controlling humanitarian operations from outside the perimeter,” the report noted.
It warned that the attacks had already begun to affect humanitarian access, as commercial vendors withdrew from high-risk routes, raising concerns about delayed food distributions and worsening conditions for displaced populations during the lean season.
An analysis of the actors involved in the incidents showed that government-affiliated forces were responsible for initiating the highest number of engagements, accounting for 375 out of the 882 recorded incidents.
These operations included arrests, seizures, and coordinated security sweeps.
Non-State Actors Responsible For High Number Of Deaths
Despite this, non-state armed actors were responsible for the highest number of deaths, causing 337 fatalities across 224 incidents representing 42.5 per cent of all confirmed deaths during the month. This indicated a significantly higher kill rate compared to government forces.
The report highlighted the challenge of attribution in conflict zones, noting that unknown actors accounted for 86 deaths across 54 incidents, particularly in remote areas of the North-East and North-West where verification is difficult.
“A busy security apparatus is not the same as an improving environment,” the report cautioned, emphasising that increased operational activity by security forces does not necessarily translate to improved safety for civilians.
Borno Records High Level Of Violence
Geographically, Borno State recorded the highest levels of violence, with 109 incidents and 172 fatalities, concentrated around the Lake Chad basin, the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, Gwoza, and northern garrison towns.
Other states with significant activity included Katsina (44 incidents), Lagos (40), the Federal Capital Territory (36), Rivers (32), Oyo and Sokoto (31 each), and Niger (29).
By category, criminality and law enforcement-related incidents accounted for the largest share at 369, followed by armed conflict at 297 incidents. Civil unrest contributed 110 incidents, while hazards accounted for 64.
However, despite recording fewer incidents, the armed conflict category was significantly more lethal, driven largely by non-state armed groups whose attacks resulted in the highest number of deaths.
Security analysts say the findings reflect a complex and evolving security landscape in Nigeria, where state forces are increasingly active but still face significant challenges in countering highly adaptive and coordinated non-state actors.
The report concluded that while security agencies have maintained pressure on insurgent and criminal groups, the persistence of high fatality rates and the targeting of humanitarian operations underscore the need for more comprehensive strategies that combine military action with improved intelligence, community engagement, and humanitarian protection measures.
