No fewer than 1,686 people have been killed in at least 909 incidents of gang violence across Nigeria between January 2020 and March 2025, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence.
Naijaonpoint reports that the report, released on Tuesday, painted a grim picture of cult and gang-related clashes sweeping through several states, with Rivers, Lagos, and Edo recording the highest number of fatalities.
According to the SBM Intelligence report, Rivers State topped the chart with 215 reported deaths, followed by Lagos with 197 and Edo with 192, figures that underscore the growing violence linked to cult wars in urban and semi-urban centres.
The report identified major players in these clashes to include cult groups such as Vikings, Icelanders, Eiye, Aiye, Black Axe, and Greenlanders.
“The South-South leads in fatalities with over 750 deaths, driven by intense feuds between Vikings, Icelanders, and Greenlanders, particularly in Rivers State,” the report stated.
South-South, Southwest Worst Hit
The South-South region accounted for more than 750 deaths, while the Southwest followed with 491 fatalities, especially in Lagos and Ogun, where Aiye and Eiye confraternities have clashed repeatedly.
In the Southeast, over 215 deaths were recorded, mainly in Anambra, where violent cult activity is believed to have merged with separatist-linked unrest.
“The Southeast is also highly lethal (215+ deaths), with Anambra seeing significant Viking and Aiye activity,” the report noted.
In Benue State alone, 204 people were killed in cult-related violence, with lesser-known groups like Scavengers and Chain involved amid ongoing communal conflicts.
The report highlighted specific flashpoints, including a deadly December 2023 clash in Edo, where over 30 people were reportedly killed in a single week during a confrontation between Black Axe and Eiye cultists.
Between 2020 and early 2025, Edo, Ogun, and Delta States were responsible for 490 incidents, representing 54% of cult violence nationwide, and 899 deaths, making up more than half of the total deaths recorded.
Borno, Zamfara, Kebbi Record Near Zero Cult Fatalities
The report noted that the Northeast and Northwest regions recorded less than 30 deaths combined, largely because terrorism and armed banditry overshadow traditional cult activity.
“States like Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara reported zero or minimal fatalities primarily because their security challenges are dominated by terrorist groups,” the report explained.
Other states like Akwa Ibom (89 deaths), Bayelsa (69), Osun (55), and Kwara (58) also experienced sharp spikes in cult-related killings, suggesting the spread of gang networks beyond their traditional territories.
2021 Deadliest Year for Gang Violence
SBM’s Violence Tracker revealed that 2021 was the deadliest year during the review period, with 377 deaths across 173 incidents. Analysts attributed the spike to post-COVID hardship and political unrest.
The number of incidents peaked in 2024 with 273 cases, but with fewer average fatalities per clash.
“This surge might be attributed to the democratisation of reporting through social media platforms like TikTok and 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), moving incident accounts beyond traditional police releases,” the report added.
In contrast, 2022 saw a dip with 228 deaths from 97 incidents, likely due to temporary truces and security crackdowns.
The report also linked the rising violence to Nigeria’s worsening economy, suggesting that more young people are joining cult groups as a survival mechanism.
“Incident numbers for the first quarter of 2025 are already on track to surpass 2022’s total,” SBM warned, though it added that recent intensified security operations may slow the trend.
Despite some year-on-year fluctuations, the overall pattern shows persistent instability linked to cult rivalries, economic hardship, and weak law enforcement in urban slums.