Nigeria recorded 882 security incidents across its 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in June 2026, resulting in 792 deaths, while troops killed 274 insurgents during the period, according to a new security assessment by SARI Global.
The report, Nigeria Monthly Security Overview for June 2026, said military operations remained intense throughout the month, but warned that the high level of security activity had not translated into a safer operating environment.
According to the US-registered risk intelligence firm, government-affiliated forces were involved in 375 of the 882 recorded incidents, the highest share among all actors. Troops accounted for 274 of the 792 confirmed deaths, while non-state armed groups were responsible for 337 fatalities from 224 incidents.
SARI Global said June opened with 217 incidents in the first week before violence peaked in the second week, when 278 incidents and the highest monthly death toll were recorded. It identified June 8, 11, 13 and 14 as the most violent days, marked by simultaneous insurgent attacks, banditry and military operations.
The report identified Borno as the country's most violent state, recording 109 incidents and 172 deaths. Zamfara followed with 63 incidents, while Plateau recorded 51. Katsina logged 44 incidents, Lagos 40, the FCT 36, Rivers 32, Oyo and Sokoto 31 each, and Niger 29.
SARI Global also flagged northern Borno, particularly the Monguno axis, as Nigeria's most critical humanitarian hotspot. It said the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) intensified attacks targeting humanitarian operations by raiding compounds at night and attacking aid-contracted vehicles during the day.
According to the report, ISWAP fighters abducted an international NGO worker and a local security guard during a raid on the 20 Units Housing area in Monguno on June 24. Days later, the group reportedly set fire to two NGO-contracted trucks transporting food supplies along the Monguno-Gajiram road after carrying out a similar attack on June 18.
The report said the attacks were aimed at discouraging commercial transporters from working with humanitarian agencies and restricting food supplies to internally displaced persons in Monguno, Cross Kauwa, Baga and Kukawa.
SARI Global also highlighted an attack on Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, on June 29, where ISWAP fighters abducted students and teachers. It described the raid as both ideological and strategic, warning that schools near insurgent strongholds now face elevated security risks.
Beyond insurgency, the report identified emerging threats to humanitarian workers. It cited an incident in Banki, Bama, on June 5, where an aid worker was attacked during a food distribution exercise by a person excluded from the beneficiary list. The firm described the trend as "beneficiary aggression" and warned that food shortages during the lean season could increase such incidents.
In the North-West, SARI Global recorded 67 insurgent-style ambushes and improvised explosive device attacks, including an IED explosion on the Bagega-Anka road in Zamfara on June 15. It said the growing use of IEDs outside the North-East suggests that armed groups are adopting tactics across regions.
The report added that Lagos, Rivers and Oyo recorded lower-fatality incidents dominated by crime, protests and road accidents, while the FCT saw increasing civil unrest linked to political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Looking ahead, SARI Global projected that humanitarian needs will continue to outpace response capacity in July, warning that worsening food insecurity and continued attacks on aid supply routes could further complicate relief efforts across conflict-affected communities.
