By Seun Ibiyemi
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter and formally bring Nigeria’s escalating insecurity before the United Nations Security Council.
In an open letter dated May 30, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP argued that the scale of violence, mass abductions, killings, attacks on civilians and widespread displacement across several Nigerian states now constitutes a threat to international peace and security.
The organisation cited recurring incidents in Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna and Zamfara states, warning that the deteriorating security situation has created severe humanitarian consequences and poses growing risks to regional stability in West Africa.
According to SERAP, Article 99 of the UN Charter empowers the Secretary-General to draw the Security Council’s attention to any matter that threatens global peace and security, stressing that the provision was specifically designed for situations requiring urgent preventive diplomacy and coordinated international action.
“The crisis in Nigeria is not merely a domestic law-enforcement issue,” SERAP stated. “Its effects increasingly implicate regional peace and security through cross-border movement of armed groups and weapons, large-scale displacement, growing instability beyond Nigeria’s borders, and weakening human rights protection institutions.”
The rights group pointed to the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State as evidence of the worsening crisis.
It recalled that armed men reportedly attacked multiple schools in the Ahoro Esinele community of Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, abducting at least 25 pupils and seven teachers while killing an assistant headmaster.
SERAP also referenced reports of gunmen abducting students travelling to sit university entrance examinations in Benue State, as well as deadly attacks in Borno, Katsina and Adamawa states that resulted in scores of deaths and injuries.
The organisation noted that recurring attacks on schools, farming communities, military formations, internally displaced persons’ camps and rural settlements have left millions of Nigerians vulnerable and displaced.
It further argued that the continued violence demonstrates a pattern of large-scale insecurity that Nigerian authorities have struggled to contain despite repeated warnings from local and international stakeholders.
SERAP cited previous statements by the United Nations condemning attacks in Nigeria, including Guterres’ condemnation of killings in Benue State in 2025 and his reaction to a terrorist attack in Kwara State earlier this year.
The group also referenced concerns raised by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria regarding mass abductions, humanitarian suffering and worsening food insecurity linked to insecurity across the country.
According to SERAP, the ongoing attacks, humanitarian consequences and implications for regional stability warrant urgent intervention by the international community.
The organisation urged Guterres to place Nigeria’s security situation on the Security Council’s formal agenda, encourage regular public briefings on insecurity and humanitarian conditions, and support systematic reporting on attacks, displacement and civilian casualties.
SERAP further called on the UN chief to press Nigerian authorities to strengthen civilian protection measures, secure the release of abducted victims, conduct independent investigations into attacks, and ensure accountability for perpetrators.
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The group also urged the international community to use all available diplomatic channels to prevent further deterioration of the situation and support efforts aimed at ending impunity and providing justice and reparations for victims.
“The persistence of these attacks, their humanitarian consequences, and their implications for regional stability require urgent international attention,” SERAP said.
