NCTC-ONSA Disputes Amnesty International’s Figures On Banditry Attacks
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The National Counter Terrorism Centre – Office of the National Security Adviser
(NCTC – ONSA) has dismissed global human rights organisation, Amnesty International’s claim that 10,217 Nigerians have been killed and 672 villages sacked by bandits in the past two years.
In a letter dated May 28 2025 and addressed to the Director of the Amnesty International Nigeria, the NCTC–ONSA called for a withholding of the report, maintaining that “several of the figures and assertions contained therein are inconsistent with verified data” in possession of the office.
The human rights organisation had on Thursday, through its Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, lamented that the Nigerian authorities’ shocking failure to protect lives and property from daily attacks by armed groups and bandits has cost thousands of lives and created a potential humanitarian crisis across many northern states.
“Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country”, the statement read in part.
The NCTC–ONSA which is in charge of coordinating Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts described the report as misleading, and “presents an overly alarming narrative which does not reflect the broader realities on the ground, and which risks misinforming the public, damaging the international image of the country, and inadvertently encouraging terrorists and criminal elements by exaggerating the impact of their atrocities”.
The Centre also invited Amnesty International Nigeria to a meeting to dissect the report in order to avoid misleading the public. It expressed confidence that the meeting “will provide an opportunity for both parties to review the contents of the report, reconcile discrepancies, and discuss ongoing security efforts as well as challenges faced in the protection of lives and property across the country”.
“While we recognise and value the role of civil society organisations in documenting human rights concerns, such efforts must be pursued with accuracy, objectivity, and a careful understanding of the prevailing national security context. Therefore, we strongly advise that the said report be withheld from publication, pending a thorough engagement to address the evident gaps and potential misinformation contained therein”, the Centre said.
