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SERAP Urges UN to Invoke Article 99 Over Nigeria Insecurity

Published

3 months ago

May 31, 2026

United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres

SERAP Urges UN to Invoke Article 99 Over Nigeria Insecurity

ABUJA – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to urgently invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter, warning that Nigeria’s escalating insecurity—marked by mass abductions, killings, attacks on civilians, mass displacement, and other grave human rights violations—now constitutes a threat to international peace and security that demands the attention of the UN Security Council.

In an open letter dated May 30, 2026, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the rights organisation said that the scale, persistence, and regional implications of the insecurity and human rights crisis in Nigeria risk aggravating existing threats across West Africa. SERAP explained that Article 99 of the UN Charter is designed precisely for situations in which emerging or ongoing crises require urgent preventive diplomacy, sustained international scrutiny, and coordinated international action. The article provides that the Secretary-General “may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

According to the organisation, placing Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and grave human rights violations on the Security Council’s formal agenda would strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations system in fulfilling its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It would also ensure sustained international attention to attacks on civilians, including abductions, killings, and displacement. SERAP noted that several years of violence and conflicts across multiple states have created appalling human suffering, physical destruction, and collective trauma across Nigeria. The organisation stressed that its appeal is grounded in the preventive mandate of the UN Charter and the urgent need to address a rapidly deteriorating situation in the country.

The rights group argued that the crisis in Nigeria is not merely a domestic law-enforcement issue. Its effects increasingly implicate regional peace and security through the cross-border movement of armed groups and weapons, large-scale displacement, growing instability extending beyond Nigeria’s borders, and weakening human rights protection and rule-of-law institutions. “There is no effective protection of people and communities, with frequent reports of a pattern of large-scale violence across multiple states,” the letter stated.

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Nigeria is facing a grave and worsening security crisis marked by repeated mass abductions of schoolchildren, teachers, women, commuters, and rural residents; attacks on villages and farming communities; killings by armed groups and criminal networks; and widespread displacement. Communities in Oyo, Benue, Borno, and across Nigeria continue to suffer repeated attacks with devastating consequences for civilian life, dignity, and security. The recent abductions of pupils and teachers in Oyo State illustrate the severity of the crisis facing civilian populations.

On or about May 15, 2026, armed men reportedly attacked multiple schools in the Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, including Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School. During the coordinated attacks, at least 25 pupils and seven teachers were abducted. An assistant headmaster was reportedly killed, while another teacher later died in captivity. According to the Oyo State Police Command, the attackers, numbering about 12, came on motorcycles and simultaneously attacked the schools. The incident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. in Yawota and Esiele communities, with the attackers also abducting the principal of one of the schools and taking her vehicle into the forest before abandoning it. Security operatives have since launched a massive manhunt in collaboration with other security agencies, including Amotekun operatives and local vigilantes.

Distressing videos later circulated showing one abducted teacher, the vice principal of Community Grammar School, pleading publicly with President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, and Nigerians to secure the release of the victims. Abductees were reportedly being held in harsh conditions, exposed to extreme weather, and called for urgent dialogue to save their lives. This incident highlights the devastating human consequences of recurring abductions targeting schools, children, and education workers, and underscores the urgent need for strengthened civilian protection, accountability, and prevention measures.

Available information also indicates that gunmen recently abducted secondary school students and other travellers in Benue State while they were travelling to sit university entrance examinations. The Benue State Police Command and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) later clarified that the victims were not UTME candidates but participants in an ongoing police recruitment exercise who were returning to Otukpo at the time of the abduction. Seven suspects were arrested following a joint security operation in Amla Forest and adjoining areas, with some victims rescued.

There are also reports of escalating attacks by non-state armed groups in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions. Recent bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, reportedly killed at least 23 people and injured over 100 others. According to the Borno State Police Command, preliminary investigations revealed that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers who struck at three locations: the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), and the Post Office Flyover area. Witnesses and survivors recounted scenes of chaos and devastation. One survivor, Abacha Mustapha, who sustained neck injuries, described hearing a loud sound before realizing he was bleeding. Another survivor, Mohammed Jubril, said the blast deafened him immediately, and he could no longer hear anything. The Chief Medical Director of UMTH confirmed 25 deaths at the hospital alone, while the police put the death toll at 23 with 108 injured. Following the attacks, President Bola Tinubu ordered service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation.

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These attacks have been accompanied by repeated assaults on military formations, attacks on internally displaced persons’ camps, abductions of women and children, and killings of civilians in rural communities.

In Katsina State, gunmen recently killed at least 10 people, including women and children. However, according to Daily Trust, at least 16 villagers are feared dead following an attack on Kiliya village near Bagagadi in Dutsinma Local Government Area on May 29, 2026. The attack occurred shortly after residents had concluded Juma’at prayers. An eyewitness recounted that after the Friday prayers, villagers were sitting together when two bandits on a motorcycle arrived. People began running, but the bandits opened fire indiscriminately. The witness hid in a house and later emerged to find the lifeless bodies of about 16 people, including relatives. More than 400 people have since sought refuge in Bagagadi village, while many others have relocated to Radda village for safety. Sources indicated the attack may have been a reprisal after two suspected bandits were killed by villagers a few days earlier. In separate incidents, coordinated raids left at least 20 people dead and resulted in abductions of residents. The Nigerian Army had earlier neutralized three suspected terrorists in an ambush operation in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State on May 9, 2026, recovering weapons and motorcycles.

In Adamawa State, another attack reportedly killed at least 29 people. Taken together, these incidents reflect an intensifying security crisis characterised by mass killings, abductions, and sustained attacks on rural communities.

SERAP warned that the situation is rapidly deteriorating into a humanitarian and security crisis with potentially far-reaching consequences for Nigerians as a whole and for peace, security, and stability across the West African subregion. This outcome must be urgently prevented.

Recent statements by United Nations officials have underscored the growing international concern about the worsening insecurity and grave human rights violations in Nigeria. In June 2025, Guterres condemned the killing of people in Benue State and called for those responsible to be found and apprehended. In February 2026, he also condemned a terrorist attack in Kwara State, reaffirmed the solidarity of the United Nations with Nigeria, and stressed the need to bring perpetrators to justice.

In November 2025, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed shock at the surge in mass abductions in Nigeria and urged authorities at all levels to take all lawful measures to halt such attacks, ensure accountability, and secure the safe return of victims.

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The United Nations has also warned that insecurity in Nigeria is generating wider humanitarian and regional consequences. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria has noted that violence across multiple regions has displaced millions, disrupted livelihoods, and deepened one of the country’s most severe humanitarian crises in recent years. UN agencies have also raised concerns that persistent attacks and instability are worsening food insecurity and increasing pressure on communities within Nigeria and across the wider region.

SERAP argued that these repeated warnings confirm that the crisis is not merely a domestic concern, but one with serious human rights, humanitarian, and regional peace and security implications.

The Secretary-General’s recent invocation of Article 99 in relation to the Gaza crisis reaffirmed the importance of this role in situations involving large-scale human suffering, humanitarian emergency, and risks of wider regional destabilisation. It demonstrated the importance of timely action where national crises have cross-border consequences, including displacement and insecurity.

Under international human rights law, state responsibility extends beyond refraining from direct violations. Nigerian authorities may incur responsibility where they fail to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish, and remedy abuses by non-state actors where risks are known or reasonably foreseeable. The recurring pattern of abductions, attacks, enforced disappearances, killings, and violence across Nigeria demonstrates that these risks are well known, repeatedly documented, and foreseeable. Where such threats persist without adequate preventive protection, effective investigation, or accountability, serious concerns arise under international human rights law, including the UN Charter.

“The continuing insecurity across Nigeria has resulted, and continues to result, in devastating loss of life, destruction of communities, and widespread fear affecting millions. The persistence of these attacks, their humanitarian consequences, and their implications for regional stability require urgent international attention,” the letter stated.

SERAP therefore urged António Guterres to take the following actions: exercise his authority under Article 99 and bring the situation in Nigeria to the attention of the Security Council without delay; encourage regular and public Security Council briefings on insecurity, abductions, and humanitarian consequences in Nigeria; request systematic reporting by relevant UN bodies on attacks, displacement, and humanitarian impacts; call on Nigerian authorities to take urgent measures to prevent attacks, protect civilians, and secure the release of abducted persons; urge prompt, independent, and effective investigations into all incidents and ensure accountability for perpetrators and enablers; publicly call on Nigerian authorities to uphold their human rights obligations and strengthen civilian protection measures; support measures to end impunity and ensure remedies and reparations for victims and affected communities; and encourage the international community to use all available influence to prevent further escalation and protect people’s lives.

As of the time of reporting, neither the United Nations nor the Federal Government had officially responded to SERAP’s request.

`SERAP Urges UN to Invoke Article 99 Over Nigeria Insecurity`

Related Topics:Article 99 Featured insecurity SERAP United Nations

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Itauma loses unbeaten record to Hrgovic, discharged from hospital

Published

2 days ago

August 30, 2026

Trends Admin

Itauma loses unbeaten record to Hrgovic, discharged from hospital

Nigerian-British heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma has returned home after spending a night in hospital following the first defeat of his professional boxing career.

The 21-year-old was taken to hospital for medical checks after Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic stopped him in the ninth round of their vacant IBF heavyweight title bout at The O2 Arena in London.

Itauma, who had built a reputation as one of the most promising young heavyweights in world boxing, was carried from the ring on a stretcher after appearing exhausted and struggling to defend himself in the closing stages of the contest.

His promoter, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, subsequently confirmed that Itauma had received medical attention and was discharged after doctors completed their assessment.

“Moses is well. He left the hospital last night and, after being checked over, he is now back home with his family,” Queensberry said in a statement.

The defeat brought an abrupt end to Itauma’s unbeaten professional record and came after he had appeared to control much of the fight against the more experienced Hrgovic.

Itauma was reportedly ahead on the judges’ scorecards before the Croatian began to turn the contest around in the later rounds. The British-Nigerian showed increasing signs of fatigue in the eighth round, allowing Hrgovic to step up the pressure.

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Referee Howard Foster eventually halted the fight at 2:27 of the ninth round when Itauma was no longer able to adequately defend himself.

There were initial concerns that the young boxer might have suffered a leg injury, with Warren confirming immediately after the bout that Itauma had been taken to hospital.

“Moses has gone to hospital. He has done something to his leg. He did something to his leg and he was exhausted, is the truth of it. It was a very fast-paced fight,” Warren said.

Despite the setback, Warren believes the defeat can serve as an important learning experience for Itauma, who is regarded as a major prospect in the heavyweight division.

“He got caught and the fighting instinct was to stand there and let his shots go,” Warren said.

“That’s what it is at the top level. You have to tick all the boxes. He has got to learn from the fight and will hopefully do that.”

Hrgovic also acknowledged that Itauma had given him a difficult fight before his late surge changed the outcome.

“I was getting outboxed, but somehow I found the energy and the punch to change it all,” the Croatian said.

The 34-year-old praised Itauma as the toughest opponent he had faced, while pointing to the youngster’s lack of experience at the highest level.

“He is the best fighter I have been in with but he needs more experience. He gassed out. I knew I had the pace in my favour. He gassed out but he is one of a kind,” Hrgovic said.

Itauma’s defeat may have ended his perfect record, but his rapid rise and the quality of his performance before fatigue set in are expected to ensure that the setback does not derail his career.

With the young heavyweight now back home recovering with his family, attention will turn to his rehabilitation and how he responds to the first major adversity of his professional career.

Itauma loses unbeaten record to Hrgovic, discharged from hospital

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Tinubu Joins US Court Battle to Block Release of FBI, DEA Records

Published

2 days ago

August 30, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Joins US Court Battle to Block Release of FBI, DEA Records

Nigerian leader intervenes in FOIA lawsuit, citing privacy protections and arguing that public curiosity about his past does not override personal privacy rights under U.S. law.

The Legal Showdown Over Historical Investigative Files has drawn international attention as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally intervened in a United States federal court case to prevent the further release of FBI and DEA records related to a decades-old drug investigation. The Nigerian president filed a 16-page legal response on August 28, 2026, before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, urging the court to reject a motion by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan that seeks to compel the disclosure of unredacted investigative files. Tinubu’s legal team, led by attorneys Christopher W. Carmichael, Victor P. Henderson, and Oluwole O. Afolabi, argues that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was never intended to serve as a tool for unearthing private information about individuals, even when that information resides in government files.

How the Case Began traces back to 2022 and 2023, when Greenspan—founder of the transparency website PlainSite—submitted 12 FOIA requests to six U.S. federal agencies. These included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, and the U.S. Department of State. Greenspan sought records connected to a Chicago heroin trafficking ring that operated in the early 1990s, and the requests specifically named four individuals: Tinubu, Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele. Several agencies initially issued “Glomar” responses—a legal maneuver that allows government bodies to neither confirm nor deny the existence of records—citing privacy and national security concerns.

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Judge Howell’s April 2025 Ruling marked a pivotal development when U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA had improperly employed Glomar responses. The judge determined that the agencies had failed to establish a sufficient privacy interest in keeping secret whether Tinubu had been the subject of a criminal investigation. Judge Howell ordered both agencies to conduct comprehensive searches for responsive records, process all non-exempt documents, and release records with appropriate redactions where legally justified. However, the judge sustained the CIA’s Glomar response, allowing the intelligence agency to maintain its refusal to confirm or deny the existence of records related to Tinubu—a decision that has itself become a point of contention.

The Disputed Document Release followed Judge Howell’s order, with the FBI and DEA releasing thousands of pages of documents. However, these releases came with significant redactions and withholdings, accompanied by a Vaughn index—a detailed document explaining the legal basis for each redaction. Dissatisfied with the extent of the redactions, Greenspan filed a motion for summary judgment, asking the court to order the release of additional unredacted materials, compel the agencies to conduct more thorough searches, and challenge the validity of the agencies’ exemption claims. It was at this juncture that President Tinubu formally intervened in the case to protect his personal privacy interests.

Tinubu’s Core Legal Arguments were advanced in his August 28 filing, beginning with the assertion that FOIA’s primary purpose is to shed light on government activities, not to expose private information about individuals contained in government files. Tinubu’s lawyers cited a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which held that disclosure of records concerning private citizens generally reveals little about government operations. The legal team invoked FOIA Exemption 7(C), which protects law enforcement records where disclosure could constitute an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,” and also cited protections under the U.S. Privacy Act, arguing that the FBI and DEA “properly redacted or withheld exempt information.” Crucially, Tinubu’s lawyers rejected Greenspan’s argument that Judge Howell’s April 2025 ruling against the Glomar responses removed the president’s remaining privacy interest in the files. The filing argued that Judge Howell had distinguished between Tinubu’s privacy interest in keeping secret whether he had been investigated and his separate privacy interest in the contents of any investigative files, while recognizing that individual portions of files could still be protected through redactions. The legal team firmly challenged the notion that Tinubu’s position as Nigeria’s president creates a public interest justifying disclosure, arguing that “plaintiff’s interest in an individual or that individual’s activities is not a ‘public interest’ that FOIA recognizes.” They maintained that public curiosity about Tinubu’s background, political career, or fitness for office does not meet the legal threshold for public interest under FOIA. Tinubu’s lawyers also dismissed suggestions of a “secret prosecution” or government cover-up as “unsubstantiated allegations” that do not justify releasing law enforcement records concerning an individual, arguing that Greenspan has failed to provide sufficient evidence of government wrongdoing.

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The FBI’s Confidential Submission came in a parallel development that underscores the sensitivity of the case, as the FBI filed a separate motion on August 20, 2026, seeking permission to submit a confidential declaration for Judge Howell’s private review (ex parte and in camera). The agency argued that it could not publicly explain the full basis for its redactions without potentially exposing sensitive law enforcement techniques and procedures (protected under Exemptions 7(E) and 7(F)), endangering the safety of individuals mentioned in the files, or compromising ongoing or future investigations. Judge Howell granted the FBI’s application, allowing the agency to submit the sensitive materials under seal for her private evaluation.

What’s at Stake in this case carries significant implications for the balance between transparency and privacy, as it tests the boundaries between FOIA’s disclosure mandate and individual privacy protections. The case also has international relations implications, involving a sitting foreign head of state in U.S. legal proceedings, and could set a precedent that influences how U.S. agencies handle FOIA requests involving foreign nationals. Additionally, the case centers on historical accountability, focusing on investigations from over 30 years ago.

Tinubu’s Consistent Denial of any wrongdoing linked to the allegations that form the basis of the historical investigation has been maintained throughout this process. His legal intervention in the U.S. court represents his most direct legal challenge to the disclosure of records that could contain details about his past. The case now rests with Judge Beryl Howell, who is reviewing the unredacted materials privately to determine whether the FBI and DEA’s redactions and withholdings are legally justified under FOIA exemptions. This is a developing story, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is expected to issue a ruling on Greenspan’s motion for summary judgment in the coming weeks.

Tinubu Joins US Court Battle to Block Release of FBI, DEA Records

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US to Withdraw 200 Troops from Nigeria as Counterterrorism Mission Winds Down

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US to Withdraw 200 Troops from Nigeria as Counterterrorism Mission Winds Down

The United States is preparing to withdraw approximately 200 troops deployed to Nigeria earlier this year to support the fight against Islamist militants, as its counterterrorism mission in the country winds down. The withdrawal is expected to be completed by late September, according to a report by The New York Times citing US military officials. However, the departure of the larger contingent will not end US security cooperation with Nigeria, as smaller teams of military trainers and intelligence analysts are expected to remain in the country.

The US troops were deployed to northeastern Nigeria in February following an agreement between Washington and Abuja to strengthen cooperation against terrorist groups. The deployment followed US airstrikes in Nigeria’s Sokoto State in late December 2025, which President Donald Trump described as “powerful and deadly” strikes against Islamic State targets. Nigerian officials confirmed at the time that the country had provided intelligence for those strikes as part of ongoing security collaboration with the US. According to a US official who spoke to Reuters in February, approximately 200 American soldiers were sent to train Nigerian forces combating extremist groups, augmenting a smaller number of US personnel already on the ground. The deployment came amid pressure from Washington on Nigeria to act against militants in the country’s northwest, following Trump’s criticism that Nigeria had failed to protect Christians from attacks. The focus of the mission was on intelligence support, training, and counterterrorism operations, rather than establishing a permanent US combat presence in Nigeria.

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US and Nigerian officials have described the relatively small deployment as highly effective, particularly in improving intelligence sharing and supporting operations against Islamic State militants. The mission culminated in May with a major operational success. On May 15, US and Nigerian forces carried out a joint operation that killed Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described by US officials as the “global number two” leader of the Islamic State. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed the operation, stating that joint forces had struck al-Minuki’s residence in the Lake Chad Basin, killing the wanted militant and several of his deputies. Trump praised the mission as “carefully planned and extremely complex,” adding that the US had informants tracking al-Minuki’s movements. Following al-Minuki’s death, on May 17, Nigerian and US forces conducted multiple airstrikes in northeastern Borno State, killing more than 20 Islamic State militants who had been observed gathering and moving in the area. The US Africa Command stated that no American or Nigerian personnel were injured in those strikes, and that the operations had weakened the group’s ability to threaten US and allied security. US officials have described the Nigeria deployment as a potential model for future American security operations in Africa, based on a smaller and temporary military footprint focused on specific objectives. The operation against al-Minuki significantly weakened the group’s leadership in Nigeria and beyond, according to military assessments.

Despite the reported gains, terrorist attacks and other forms of insecurity have continued across Nigeria. Recent weeks have seen deadly assaults by gunmen in multiple parts of the country, as well as attacks on military installations in the northeast. The wider security situation encompasses a complex mix of threats, including attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, banditry, kidnappings, communal violence, and other armed conflicts. Nigeria has repeatedly maintained that the country’s insecurity is complex and cannot be attributed to a single cause. While the US withdrawal is underway, military cooperation between Washington and Abuja is expected to continue through intelligence sharing and training provided by the smaller US teams that remain in Nigeria.