The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to urgently invoke Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, warning that Nigeria’s escalating insecurity has reached a level that threatens international peace and regional stability.
In an open letter dated May 30, 2026, and shared through its official social media platforms on Sunday, SERAP appealed to the UN chief to immediately draw the attention of the Security Council to the worsening security and humanitarian situation in Nigeria.
The organisation argued that the persistent wave of kidnappings, killings, attacks on civilians, and mass displacement across several states demonstrates a crisis that has outgrown domestic security management and now requires urgent international attention.
According to SERAP, the deteriorating security situation has become increasingly evident through recurring incidents in Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, and other parts of the country where communities continue to suffer violent attacks from armed groups and criminal networks.
“Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and grave human rights violations are reflected in repeated abductions, killings, attacks on civilians, and mass displacement in Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, and several other parts of the country,” the organisation stated.
SERAP maintained that the scale and persistence of the violence, coupled with its broader regional implications, have transformed the crisis into a matter of international concern.
The group stressed that the growing insecurity has implications beyond Nigeria’s borders, warning that instability, forced displacement, and the movement of armed groups across West Africa could further undermine peace and security throughout the region.
“The scale, persistence, and regional implications of the insecurity and grave human rights crisis in Nigeria pose a threat to international peace and security,” the organisation said.
SERAP noted that Article 99 of the UN Charter empowers the Secretary-General to bring any issue that may threaten international peace and security before the Security Council.
The organisation argued that the provision was specifically created for situations requiring immediate diplomatic intervention, enhanced international oversight, and coordinated action aimed at preventing crises from escalating further.
According to SERAP, Nigeria’s current security challenges fit squarely within the circumstances contemplated by Article 99.
“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 organisation stated.
The rights group warned that years of recurring violence have inflicted severe humanitarian consequences on millions of Nigerians, leaving communities devastated, families displaced, and survivors traumatised.
It further observed that insecurity has continued to affect schools, transportation routes, farming communities, and rural settlements, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in many parts of the country.
As part of its argument, SERAP cited several recent incidents that illustrate the severity of the crisis.
The organisation referenced the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oyo State, where armed attackers reportedly invaded schools in Oriire Local Government Area and abducted multiple victims.
According to SERAP, the attack resulted in the kidnapping of at least 25 pupils and seven teachers, while an assistant headmaster was reportedly killed during the incident.
The group also highlighted reports from Benue State involving the abduction of students and travellers who were on their way to sit for university entrance examinations.
In addition, SERAP pointed to recent bomb attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State, which reportedly claimed at least 23 lives and left more than 100 people injured.
The organisation further cited attacks in Katsina and Adamawa states, where coordinated assaults allegedly resulted in numerous deaths and additional abductions.
According to SERAP, the recurring pattern of violence across multiple regions demonstrates a rapidly worsening security environment that demands urgent intervention.
“The crisis in Nigeria is not merely a domestic law-enforcement issue,” the organisation stated, adding that the regional consequences of insecurity now extend beyond Nigeria’s borders.
SERAP also expressed concern over what it described as inadequate protection for vulnerable communities, noting that reports of large-scale attacks continue to emerge from different parts of the country.
“There is no effective protection of people and communities, with frequent reports of a pattern of large-scale violence across multiple states,” the group said.
The organisation pointed to previous statements issued by the United Nations condemning attacks in Nigeria and calling for accountability, noting that international institutions have repeatedly expressed concern about the humanitarian and food security implications of continued violence.
SERAP argued that the Secretary-General’s past use of Article 99 in addressing other global crises demonstrates that the mechanism remains relevant and appropriate for situations involving widespread civilian suffering and regional instability.
As part of its recommendations, the organisation urged Guterres to formally place Nigeria’s security crisis before the Security Council and request regular briefings on the situation.
It also called for coordinated international monitoring of attacks, displacement trends, and humanitarian conditions across affected regions.
Additionally, SERAP advocated stronger civilian protection measures, independent investigations into violent attacks, accountability for perpetrators, and increased international support aimed at preventing further deterioration of the situation.
The appeal comes at a time when Nigeria continues to face recurring incidents of kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, communal violence, and attacks on rural communities, raising fresh concerns about the country’s ability to effectively contain growing security threats and protect vulnerable populations.
