The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to urgently activate Article 99 of the UN Charter over what it described as Nigeria’s deepening insecurity crisis, warning that the situation may now constitute a threat to international peace and stability.
In a statement shared on its official social media page and contained in an open letter dated May 30, 2026, the organisation said the UN Security Council should be immediately alerted to the growing wave of violence across Nigeria, including abductions, killings, and mass displacement.
SERAP noted that the insecurity situation has spread across several states, including Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, and Zamfara, where civilians have continued to suffer repeated attacks from armed groups and criminal networks.
According to the group, “Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and serious human rights violations are evident in repeated abductions, killings, attacks on civilians, and widespread displacement.”
It argued that the severity and persistence of the crisis now extend beyond national boundaries, insisting that its regional implications in West Africa justify urgent international attention.
“The scale, persistence, and regional consequences of the insecurity and human rights crisis in Nigeria present a clear threat to international peace and security,” the statement added.
The organisation explained that Article 99 of the UN Charter empowers the Secretary-General to bring emerging global threats to the attention of the Security Council, stressing that Nigeria’s situation fits the criteria for urgent preventive diplomacy and coordinated international intervention.
SERAP maintained that years of violence have left communities across the country in fear, with rising humanitarian needs and psychological trauma among affected populations.
It further highlighted recurring incidents of mass abductions involving schoolchildren, commuters, women, and rural dwellers, alongside repeated assaults on farming communities.
Citing a recent case in Oyo State, the group recalled an attack in Oriire Local Government Area where armed men abducted at least 25 pupils and seven teachers, while also killing an assistant headmaster.
It also referenced similar incidents in Benue State, where students and travellers were reportedly kidnapped while heading to university entrance examinations, as well as bomb attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State, which left multiple people dead and injured many others.
SERAP further pointed to coordinated attacks in Katsina and Adamawa states, noting that dozens have been killed and many others abducted in a pattern it described as “worsening and widespread insecurity.”
The organisation warned that Nigeria’s security challenges can no longer be treated as a purely domestic issue, citing cross-border criminal movement, displacement, and instability affecting parts of West Africa.
It added that the absence of effective protection for civilians has worsened the humanitarian situation, with communities increasingly vulnerable to repeated attacks.
SERAP also referenced previous United Nations concerns over Nigeria’s security situation, noting that the international body has repeatedly condemned violence in the country and urged accountability for perpetrators.
The group urged António Guterres to formally bring the matter before the UN Security Council, request regular briefings on the crisis, and support coordinated monitoring of humanitarian conditions in affected regions.
It also called for stronger civilian protection measures, independent investigations into attacks, prosecution of offenders, and increased international support to prevent further escalation.
The appeal comes amid ongoing insecurity challenges across Nigeria, where recurring abductions, insurgent activities, and rural violence continue to raise concerns over the capacity of authorities to protect civilians and restore stability.