2. Description of security situation per state
2.15 Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
2.15 Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Human Rights Watch reported that, in August 2020, authorities arrested and briefly detained more than 60 people during protests in Abuja, in relation to the ‘Revolution Now’ protests against insecurity and corruption.1310
in relation to the #EndSARS protests and connected incidents in October 2020, more than 200 individuals were reportedly arrested in Abuja and a few other cities in Nigeria. According to Lagos’
police chief ‘the arrested suspects were not part of the widespread protests against the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).’1311
Human Rights Watch reported that police dispersed protesters on 11 October in Abuja using tear gas and water cannons. A protester claimed to have been beaten repeatedly by police officers.1312 Human Rights Watch reported in its 2021 World report that #ENDSARS protesters were ‘harassed and attacked by security forces and armed thugs in Abuja’.1313
In November 2020, the protests resumed in Abuja against ‘police brutality’ despite the disbandment of the SARS.1314
In its May 2020 report on the Economics of kidnap industry in Nigeria, SB Morgen, an intelligence firm, stated that ‘while it is not in the top 10, Abuja has the 11th highest number of kidnap incidents over the last decade’.1315 CFR noted in May 2020 that Abuja is one of the areas in Nigeria where Nigerians’
main form of insecurity is related to fear of kidnapping and crime in general, further highlighting that
‘for them, kidnapping is far more immediate than the carnage of Boko Haram […] or the carnage in the middle belt over land and water use between “farmers” and “herders”.’1316
Numbers of kidnappings in FCT over 2020 vary greatly. ACLED database recorded 12 incidents of kidnappings in FCT over the year 2020, five of which were in Abuja city.1317 By contrast, several other sources indicate much higher numbers. The UN Security Council reported that between July and October 2020, approximately 102 incidents of kidnapping took place in the Federal Capital Territory.1318
The Daily Trust noted that the FCT and Katsina are the states where most kidnappings took place between January and July 2020, with 22 people being kidnapped in Abuja.1319 In March 2021, the 21st Century Chronicle reported that, since September 2020, at least 48 people had been kidnapped in FCT and that kidnappings in the state had ‘become routine and mostly unreported’.1320
2.15.3.1 Number of security incidents
In 2020, ACLED reported a total of 47 security incidents (8 battles, 24 cases of violence against civilians, 15 incidents of riots) in FCT, resulting in 17 deaths. The highest number of security incidents took place in Abuja Municipal LGA. Of the 24 incidents of violence against civilians, 12 were attacks and 12 abductions.1321
1310 HRW, World Report 2021 - Nigeria, 13January 2021, url, p. 504
1311 AA, Nigeria: 800 held for violence in #EndSARS protests, 28 October 2020, url
1312 HRW, Nigeria: Crackdown on police brutality protests, 16 October 2020, url
1313 HRW, World Report 2021 - Nigeria, 13 January 2021, url, p. 499
1314 AA, Nigeria: SARS protest resumes, 7 November 2020, url; Premium Times, #EndSARS: Protesters return to streets in Abuja, 2 November 2020, url
1315 SB Morgen, The economics of the kidnap industry in Nigeria, May 2020, url, p. 4
1316 CFR, Kidnapping in Nigeria: A Growth Industry, 29 May 2020, url
1317 EASO analysis PowerBI based on ACLED dataset, filtered on Nigeria, 1-1-2020 to 31-12-2020, url
1318 UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, S/2020/1293, 24 December 2020, url, p. 5, para. 24
1319 Daily Trust, Abuja, Kastina Rank High In Kidnapping Cases, 17 August 2020, url
1320 21st Century Chronicle, Residents flee Abuja community over rising cases of kidnapping, 29 March 2021, url
1321 ACLED dataset, filtered on Nigeria, 1-1-2020 to 31-12-2020, url
The evolution of the types of security events through the reference period, as well as the highest number of incidents by LGA is shown in the graph below. Other than the above-mentioned types of security incidents, 117 protests with 5 deaths were reported during the reference period. 1322
Figure 24 Evolution of security events coded battles, explosions/remote violence, riots, and violence against civilians according to LGAs in FCT in 2020, based on ACLED data1323
No source was found reporting on civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries of civilians. The identified sources report solely on the number of fatalities and do not distinguish between civilians and combatants in their reporting. The table below shows the number of violent incidents and fatalities, according to type of incident for FCT in 2020, as recorded by ACLED.
FCT Nr of incidents Nr of fatalities
Battles 8 8
Explosions/remote violence 0 0
Violence against civilians 24 3
Riots 15 6
Total 47 17
Table 20 Number of violent incidents and fatalities by type of incident in 20201324
From 1 January to 30 April 2021, ACLED reported a total of 19 security incidents (6 battles, 10 cases of violence against civilians, 3 incidents of riots) in Federal Capital Territory, resulting in 11 deaths.1325
1322 EASO analysis PowerBI based on ACLED dataset, filtered on Nigeria, 1-1-2020 to 31-12-2020, url
1323 EASO analysis PowerBI based on ACLED dataset, filtered on Nigeria, 1-1-2020 to 31-12-2020, url
1324 ACLED dataset, filtered on Nigeria, 1-1-2020 to 31-12-2020, url
1325 EASO analysis PowerBI based on ACLED Dataset, filtered on Nigeria, 1-1-2021 to 30-04-2021, url
2.15.3.2 Illustrative security incidents
On 21 January 2020, Alex Ogbu, a reporter and editor of Regent Africa Times, was killed after sustaining head injuries in an Islamic Movement of Nigeria protest in Abuja.1326 The Sahara Reporters claimed that Alex Ogbu was a passer-by shot in the head by police officers during the protest.1327 On 17 February 2020, Dagan Laetitia Naankang, an Assistant Director of Administration in the State House was killed in her apartment in Abuja LGA, by ‘criminals, …known as “Yahoo boys”’, according to This Day news.1328
On 11 April 2020, news agency Vanguard reported that a man, who went out to get food for his pregnant wife, was shot and killed by the Nigerian Police at Banex Junction, Wuse 2 (Abuja LGA). This report is part of the alleged killings of nine people by security forces in four states and in the FCT, while enforcing lockdown regulations in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. 1329
On 12 May 2020, approximately 50 gunmen attacked the Ukya Tsoho village (Kuje LGA) and kidnapped four people. The gunmen shot sporadically and stole phones and food.1330
On 20 June 2020 at night, more than 20 gunmen kidnapped and subsequently killed three people at Yambabu village (Kwali LGA).1331
On 10 September 2020, gunmen attacked Tunga Maji community (Gwagwalada LGA) and kidnapped more than 30 residents of the community, reportedly after ‘a prolonged gun battle with the community vigilante members’.1332 According to another source, the number of residents kidnapped was unspecified, with a resident stating that at least 20 people had been kidnapped.1333
On 13 October 2020, hundreds of young people protesting to end police brutality, in relation to the
#EndSARS campaign, were attacked by military personnel - allegedly from the Presidential Guard Brigade - in Abuja LGA. According to the source, the protesters were peaceful.1334
On 20 October 2020, police allegedly opened fire against #ENDSARS protesters, killing five protesters at Dutse Alhaji area (Bwari LGA).1335 According to the Premium Times, the police rejected that report as false, saying that ‘the protesters suddenly went berserk, leaving two persons dead and one injured.’1336
On 17 November 2020, two people were killed, one native in the area and one herder, in clashes between farmers and herders near Passo village (Gwagwalada LGA), when herders were grazing their cows in a rice farm in the area.1337
1326 CPJ, Nigerian journalist Alex Ogbu dies at protest, 5 February 2020, url
1327 Sahara Reporters, BREAKING: Police Kill Journalist During Shiite Protest In Abuja, 23 January 2020, url
1328 This Day, How State House Director, Naankang, was Murdered, 20 February 2020, url
1329 Vanguard, COVID-19 Lockdown: CSO raises alarm over alleged killing of 9 persons by security agents, 11 April 2020, url
1330 Sun (The), Gunmen invade FCT village, abduct 4, 12 May 2020, url
1331 Sun (The), Kidnappers storm Abuja Vilage, kills 3 in Kwali, 21 June 2020, url
1332 Guardian (The) Nigeria, Gunmen kidnap over 30 residents of FCT community, 11 September 2020, url;
1333 Nigerian News Direct, Unknown gunmen attack Tunga Maji, an Abuja community, kidnap residents, 11 September 2020, url
1334 Vanguard, #ENDSARS: Soldiers attack Protesters, Journalists in Abuja, 13 October 2020, url
1335 Daily Trust, Police Shoot 5 #ENDSARS Protesters in Abuja, 20 October 2020, url; Premium Times, #EndSARS: Protesters clash with police in Abuja after reported killing, 20 October 2020, url; Daily Trust, #EndSARS: Dozens Killed As Violence Spreads, 21 October 2020, url
1336 Premium Times, #EndSARS: Protesters clash with police in Abuja after reported killing, 20 October 2020, url
1337 Daily Trust, How 2 died in farmers, herders clash in Gwagwalada, 25 November 2020, url
2.15.3.3 State’s ability to secure law and order
In relation to the October 2020 #ENDSARS protests, it was reported that places of worship were set on fire in Apo District in Abuja and that residents had to defend themselves since ‘there was no security presence in the area.’1338
Different sources reported police attacking protesters during #ENDSARS protests, when they refused to disperse1339 or during altercations.1340In Abuja, ‘some people alleged that the deceased were killed by the police’; however, the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force denied these allegations and stated that they only ‘restored peace in the area’. Following these deaths, the police post at Dutsen Makaranta was set on fire and a number of vehicles were burnt. The protest was reportedly peaceful, until the police arrived in four trucks. 1341
SB Morgen, in its 2020 report on kidnapping in Nigeria, noted that Abuja constituted one of the few areas in Nigeria where no military exercise or operation was located.1342
The Daily Trust reported in August 2020 that 22 kidnappings took place over seven months in FCT, making it the state with the most kidnappings in the reported period.1343
Following an attack and kidnappings by gunmen on 10 September 2020 at the Tungan Maje village - a community between the FCT and Niger state - the FCT police claimed that they became involved promptly ‘and engaged in a fierce gun duel with the hoodlums’, rescuing five of the kidnapped villagers.1344 Media reports between September 2020 and March 2021 revealed that ‘abductions within the FCT have become routine and mostly unreported’, that residents flee the capital for fear of kidnappings, and that ‘even though some kidnap attempts were foiled by the Police and Vigilantes, the kidnappers kept coming back to the community to abduct people for ransom.’1345
2.15.3.4 Road security
The Abuja-Kaduna highway, a major route out of Abuja to the north-west of Nigeria, is well-known for bandit attacks and kidnappings.1346
On 29 April 2019, the board chairman of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)and his daughter were kidnapped near Katari village on the Kaduna-Abuja highway. According to the source, many attacks had taken place along that route in the previous months; as a result, travellers started opting not to use it and to use the safer railway route instead.1347
2.15.3.5 Infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war
No information was found on infrastructure damage and explosive remnants of war.
2.15.3.6 Displacement and return IDPs
For a general overview of the displacement trends in the North-West and North-Central Regions, see Section 2.2.3.6 in Kaduna state.
1338 Daily Trust, Police Shoot 5 #ENDSARS Protesters in Abuja, 20 October 2020, url
1339 Premium Times, #EndSARS: Protesters clash with police in Abuja after reported killing, 20 October 2020, url
1340 Daily Trust, #EndSARS: Dozens Killed As Violence Spreads, 21 October 2020, url
1341 Daily Trust, #EndSARS: Dozens Killed As Violence Spreads, 21 October 2020, url
1342 SB Morgen, The economics of the kidnap industry in Nigeria, May 2020, url, pp. 3-4. Information was analysed between June 2011 to the end of March 2020
1343 Daily Trust, 808 Nigerians Kidnapped In Seven Months, 17 August 2020, url
1344 Channels Television, Gunmen Attack Abuja Community, Police Rescue Kidnap Victims, 10 September 2020, url
1345 21st Century Chronicle, Residents flee Abuja community over rising cases of kidnapping, 29 March 2021, url
1346 HRW, World Report 2020, Nigeria, 14 January 2020, url, p. 434
1347 Premium Times, UBEC Chairman, daughter kidnapped, 29 April 2019, url
IDPs
No information was found on the number of conflict-related IDPs in FCT state.
Returnees
No information was found on the number of returnees to FCT.