SERAP calls on the UN chief to report Nigeria’s security crisis to the UN Security Council

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to invoke Article 99 of the United Nations Charter and formally bring Nigeria’s worsening security situation before the United Nations Security Council, warning that the country’s escalating violence now poses a threat to regional peace and international security.

In an open letter dated May 30, 2026 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP argued that the persistent wave of abductions, killings, attacks on civilians and mass displacement in several states has evolved beyond an internal security challenge and requires urgent international attention.

The organization cited recurring incidents in Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna and Zamfara states, among others, as evidence of a worsening humanitarian and human rights crisis.

According to SERAP, the scale and persistence of the violence, together with its regional implications, justify the intervention of the Secretary-General under Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, which authorizes the head of the United Nations to draw the attention of the Security Council to situations that could threaten international peace and security.

The rights group says years of violence have inflicted enormous human suffering, widespread destruction and psychological trauma on affected communities, while state authorities have struggled to provide adequate protection to citizens.

SERAP made specific reference to the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State as an example of the deteriorating security environment faced by civilians.

The organization observed that on or about May 15, 2026, gunmen allegedly attacked several schools in Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of ​​Oyo State, including Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School and LA Primary School.

According to the group, at least 25 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped during the coordinated attacks. An assistant principal was reportedly killed, while another teacher later died in captivity.

SERAP also highlighted videos circulated after the incident, showing one of the abducted teachers, identified as the vice-principal of Community Grammar School, publicly appealing to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde and Nigerians to secure the release of the victims.

The organization said the incident underlined the vulnerability of schools and education workers to criminal attacks and demonstrated the urgent need for stronger civil protection measures.

Apart from Oyo State, SERAP reported reports of armed men abducting students and other travelers in Benue State who were traveling to take their university entrance exams.

The group also cited growing violence in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions, including recent bomb blasts in Maiduguri, Borno State, which reportedly killed at least 23 people and injured more than 100.

Reference is also made to attacks on military formations, internally displaced persons camps, rural communities and repeated abductions of women and children.

In Katsina State, SERAP noted that gunmen recently killed at least 10 people, including women and children, while separate attacks reportedly killed around 20 more people and led to further abductions. The organization also cited another attack in Adamawa state that claimed at least 29 lives.

According to SERAP, these incidents collectively demonstrate a growing security crisis characterized by mass killings, abductions and sustained attacks against vulnerable communities.

The organization warned that the situation could worsen further into a major humanitarian emergency with consequences that will extend beyond Nigeria’s borders, potentially compromising stability in the West African sub-region.

SERAP argued that insecurity in Nigeria increasingly takes on regional dimensions through the cross-border movement of armed groups and weapons, large-scale displacement of populations, and the weakening of human rights and rule of law institutions.

The organization referred to previous expressions of concern by United Nations officials about the security situation in Nigeria. He recalled that in June 2025 Guterres condemned killings in Benue State and called for accountability, while in February 2026 he denounced a terrorist attack in Kwara State and reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with Nigeria.

SERAP also referred to concerns raised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the increase in mass abductions and the need for authorities to ensure accountability and secure the release of victims.

The organization noted that United Nations humanitarian officials have repeatedly warned that violence in several regions of Nigeria has displaced millions of people, destroyed livelihoods and worsened one of the country’s most serious humanitarian crises in recent years.

According to SERAP, these warnings demonstrate that Nigeria’s insecurity is no longer just a domestic issue, but has significant human rights, humanitarian and regional security implications.

The rights group also argued that international human rights law requires governments not only to refrain from violations, but also to take reasonable measures to prevent, investigate and punish abuses by non-state actors.

The recurring pattern of abductions, killings, enforced disappearances and attacks across Nigeria demonstrates that the risks are well documented and predictable, raising concerns about compliance with international obligations where adequate preventative measures and accountability mechanisms are lacking.

SERAP therefore urged Guterres to bring Nigeria’s security situation to the Security Council, encourage regular briefings on insecurity and humanitarian conditions in the country, and support the systematic reporting of attacks, displacement and related human rights concerns.

The organization also called for greater international commitment to pressure the Nigerian authorities to protect civilians, secure the release of abductees, conduct independent investigations into the attacks, prosecute those responsible and provide remedies to victims.

Furthermore, SERAP urged the UN chief to encourage the international community to use all available diplomatic channels and influence to prevent further escalation of violence and protect the lives of affected communities.

The organization argued that sustained international attention and coordinated action is needed to address what it described as a rapidly worsening humanitarian and security crisis that threatens millions of Nigerians and regional stability.