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OPENWATCH NIGERIA
CRISIS WATCH · APRIL 2026
OPENWATCH NIGERIA · CRISIS WATCHOSINT-DERIVED · OPENWATCH.NG
APRIL 2026

Rising Violence in Plateau and Zamfara Amidst Terrorist Threats

April 2026 saw a significant escalation in violence and kidnappings across Nigeria, with notable deteriorations in Plateau and Zamfara states.

INCIDENTS806
FATALITIES3,980
VICTIMS7,878
critical

OSINT-DERIVED · GENERATED 20/05/2026, 14:51:19 WAT

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Rising Violence in Plateau and Zamfara Amidst Terrorist Threats

INCIDENTS
806
FATALITIES
3,980
VICTIMS
7,878
STATES AFFECTED
5

Incident intensity by state

INCIDENTS01–1011–3031+

Most affected states

Plateau
102 · 696
Borno
94 · 989
Zamfara
41 · 340
Kwara
41 · 266
Yobe
21 · 333

INCIDENTS · FATALITIES

6-month national trend

29NOV58DEC0JAN139FEB780MAR797APR

Threat level

low
moderate
elevated
high
critical
↑ DETERIORATED (10)
ZamfaraPlateauYobeAdamawaKadunaKebbiKwaraNigerCross RiverBenue, Kaduna
↓ IMPROVED (6)
BornoBenueKanoTarabaEnuguEbonyi

Top Incidents

Highest-impact events recorded this month

#DATESTATEEVENTFATALITIES
12026-04-02BornoTroops eliminated over 280 terrorists during Ramadan operations in Maiduguri, while also rescuing abducted civilians and disrupting terrorist logistics networks.280
22026-04-12YobeA military air raid by the Nigerian Air Force targeting fleeing terrorists resulted in the deaths of over 200 civilians at Jilli market, located between Yobe and Borno states.200
32026-04-09KwaraTerrorists have kidnapped 176 residents from the Woro community in Kaiama LGA, Kwara, with reports of over 200 locals killed in a previous attack.200
42026-04-07ZamfaraA security operation in Kunchin Kalgo village resulted in the deaths of between 80 and 100 bandits during a clash with security forces and vigilantes.100
52026-04-29PlateauA coalition has reported that exactly 500 people have been killed in Plateau State due to sustained attacks by armed Fulani militants, with a specific incident on March 29 resulting in 30 fatalities.30

State Detail

Most active states this month

Plateau

102 INC696 KIA
0
NOV
3
DEC
0
JAN
24
FEB
59
MAR
105
APR

Plateau State witnessed the highest number of incidents and fatalities, driven by ethnic violence and militant attacks.

Armed MilitancyMilitary and Security Responses

Borno

94 INC989 KIA
1
NOV
4
DEC
0
JAN
1
FEB
139
MAR
96
APR

Borno State continues to be a hotspot for terrorist activity, with significant civilian and military casualties.

Terrorist ThreatsMilitary Engagements

Zamfara

41 INC340 KIA
0
NOV
1
DEC
0
JAN
5
FEB
27
MAR
41
APR

Zamfara State faced a sharp increase in banditry and violent clashes, resulting in a high number of fatalities.

Banditry and Clashes

Yobe

21 INC333 KIA
0
NOV
0
DEC
0
JAN
0
FEB
9
MAR
21
APR

Yobe State saw devastating impacts from both terrorist activities and military actions, including a deadly airstrike.

Civilian Casualties

Kwara

41 INC266 KIA
0
NOV
4
DEC
0
JAN
5
FEB
47
MAR
41
APR

Kwara State experienced a significant number of kidnappings and terrorist attacks, particularly in the Woro community.

Kidnapping Crisis

Outlook

May 2026

⚠ CONFLICT RISK ALERTS
  • •Potential escalation of violence in Plateau due to ongoing ethnic tensions.
  • •Increased terrorist activities in Borno and Yobe, with possible new kidnappings.
  • •Risk of civilian casualties in military operations targeting terrorist enclaves.
  • •Continued armed banditry in Zamfara, threatening local and regional security.
  • •Possible retaliatory attacks by Fulani militants in Plateau.
✓ RESOLUTION OPPORTUNITIES
  • •Strengthening community policing in vulnerable areas like Kwara and Plateau.
  • •Engagement in peace talks with armed groups in Zamfara and Borno.
↑ DETERIORATED SITUATIONS

Zamfara. Significant increase in both incidents and fatalities, driven by intensified clashes with bandits.

Plateau. Sharp rise in violence and fatalities linked to ethnic conflicts and militant activities.

Yobe. Rise in terrorist activities and civilian casualties, notably from the airstrike in Jilli Market.

Adamawa. Increased fatalities from terrorist attacks and communal violence.

Kaduna. Increase in fatalities due to ongoing communal and terrorist violence.

Kebbi. Surge in fatalities from cross-border criminal activities and clashes.

Kwara. Rise in fatalities from high-profile kidnappings and terrorist attacks.

Niger. Moderate increase in violence and fatalities from communal clashes.

Cross River. Increased fatalities from communal disputes and military operations.

Benue, Kaduna. Slight increase in fatalities due to persistent communal violence.

↓ IMPROVED SITUATIONS

Borno. Significant reduction in incidents and fatalities despite ongoing terrorist threats.

Benue. Decrease in incidents and fatalities, reflecting improved security measures.

Kano. Reduction in fraud-related incidents and communal clashes.

Taraba. Decreased communal violence and improved local security initiatives.

Enugu. Lower incident rates due to effective state-level peacekeeping efforts.

Ebonyi. Minor improvements in security and community relations.

OpenWatch Nigeria compiles this brief from open-source reporting on security incidents across Nigeria. Figures are OSINT-derived and may revise as reporting matures. Map geometry: @svg-maps/nigeria (CC BY 4.0).