The global rights organization published the figures on Sunday, calling on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent action to stop what it described as a “horrifying spate” of abductions targeting rural communities and internally displaced persons.

“Apart from killing people, gunmen are now on a rampage of abductions, largely for lucrative ransom. Some stay months at the mercy of gunmen in punishing situations.

Estimates of the number of abductions by gunmen and armed groups across Nigeria vary, and some of the commonly cited figures vastly understate the scale of the problem,” said Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

A calendar of mass abductions

Amnesty documented specific incidents that together account for the bulk of the toll. On March 3, Boko Haram fighters attacked Ngoshe town in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting more than 400 people and laying siege on the town.

On Feb. 3, an armed group invaded Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing 200 people and abducting 176 more.

In the first week of April, gunmen abducted 150 people during attacks on Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Most of the victims were women and children.

On Jan. 18, gunmen stormed three churches at Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State during morning worship and abducted at least 166 worshippers. They were later released.

Other documented incidents include the abduction of 57 people in Niger State in January, 92 people in separate attacks across Zamfara State in February, 18 passengers traveling from Abuja to Sokoto on March 30, 30 churchgoers in Kaduna in March, and over 100 displaced persons by Boko Haram near Mafa in Borno State on March 19.

The human cost

A resident of Woro community in Kwara State described the aftermath of the February attack to Amnesty researchers. “They didn’t just kill, they stole our life away.

They abducted 176 people, including my second wife and my three daughters. One of them is only two years old. I have seen the video they posted on social media.”

Amnesty said victims held in captivity are frequently subjected to torture, starvation, amputation, rape and forced participation in atrocities. Families in remote communities often exhaust their savings or rely on village fundraising to pay ransom demands. Those whose families cannot pay face prolonged captivity, torture or death.

Children and schools at risk

The organization warned that the kidnapping wave is reshaping daily life in ways that will have long-term consequences. Thousands of children have reportedly dropped out of school because families fear abduction.

In some communities, underage girls are being pulled from school and pushed into early marriage as a preventive measure.

Amnesty accused Nigerian authorities of failing to meet their constitutional and international obligations to protect citizens. “This failure by the authorities to ensure the safety of the population constitutes a serious breach of their human rights obligations,” Sanusi said.

As of Sunday, the presidency and security agencies had issued no official response to the report.