The murder rate in Nigeria remains relatively high in spite of efforts to curb this crime. The total number of murder cases recorded across Nigeria for 2017 was pegged at 3217 cases. Lagos had the highest number with 216 cases recorded, accounting for over 6% of the nation’s murder cases. Lagos was closely followed by Ebonyi state with 204 cases, Edo with 187 cases, Kaduna which recorded 128 cases and Kano with 124 cases. This devaluation of human lives in the country remains a growing concern to the safety of its residents.
However, Osun, Oyo, Bayelsa, Enugu and Anambra recorded the least amount of murder cases with 25, 30, 30, 40 and 41 cases respectively.
The total number of attempted murder cases recorded was slated at 771 with Edo at the peak recording 98 of such cases. Subsequently, Adamawa recorded 89 cases, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti recorded 78 cases each and Abia recorded 69 cases. The states with the least recorded cases of attempted murder are Oyo, Bauchi and Gombe with 1 case each and, Rivers and Niger state with 3 cases each.
The chart below provides detailed insight into the distribution of murder cases in Nigeria by geo-political zones.
Murder cases in nigeria per geo political zone (2017) – Databod Nigeria
SOURCE: NBS
