Rivers, Lagos lead as cult clashes claimed 1,686 lives in five years – Report

No fewer than 1,686 people were killed in at least 909 incidents of gang violence across Nigeria between January 2020 and March 2025, with the South-South and Southwest regions emerging as the most affected zones.

According to a report SBM Intelligence released on Tuesday, Rivers State topped the fatality chart with 215 deaths, followed by Lagos (197 deaths) and Edo (192 deaths), all strongholds of longstanding cult and gang rivalries.

The report added that these clashes often involved groups such as Vikings, Icelanders, Eiye, Aiye, Black Axe, and Greenlanders.

The report indicates that the South-South region alone recorded over 750 deaths, largely driven by violent cult rivalries in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa.

In the Southwest, over 491 fatalities were documented, particularly in Lagos and Ogun, both witnessing recurrent clashes between the Aiye and Eiye confraternities.

The Southeast region, notably Anambra State, also witnessed significant violence, with over 215 deaths attributed to increasing Viking and Aiye cult activity, often linked to broader separatist tensions.

The North-Central region, particularly Benue State, recorded 204 deaths, with cult groups such as Scavengers and Chain operating amid ongoing communal clashes.

In contrast, the Northeast and Northwest regions experienced minimal gang-related activity, recording fewer than 30 fatalities combined.

This is largely attributed to the dominance of larger-scale terror groups like Boko Haram and bandits, which overshadow traditional gang operations.

“Nigeria’s gang landscape, the South-South and Southwest are epicentres of violence.

“The South-South leads in fatalities with over 750 deaths, driven by intense feuds between Vikings, Icelanders, and Greenlanders, particularly
in Rivers State.

“The Southwest records over 491 deaths, with Lagos being a hotspot for Aiye and Eiye clashes.

“The Southeast is also highly lethal (215+ deaths), with Anambra seeing significant Viking and Aiye activity.

“Northcentral states like Benue endure violence from Scavengers and Chain (204+ deaths).

“Conversely, the Northeast and Northwest experiences minimal traditional gang activity, having fewer than 30 total fatalities, as these regions contend with larger terror groups.

“Between January 2020 and March 2025, data from SBM Intel’s Violence Tracker indicated that no fewer than 1,686 people were killed in at least 909 incidents of gang violence across Nigeria, an average of approximately 1.85 fatalities per incident, with 2024 leading in incidents (273) but having fewer fatalities than 2021, which recorded more deaths (377) than the years under review.

“645 incidents (resulting in 1,286 deaths) were excluded from the dataset because the gangs involved could not be identified.”

The report noted fluctuating trends in gang violence during the period. It was said that 2021 recorded the highest number of deaths (377) across 173 incidents, a peak likely tied to post-COVID economic hardship and political unrest.

” This was followed by a notable drop in 2022, with 228 deaths from 97 incidents, possibly due to government crackdowns or temporary
gang truces.

“However, the landscape shifted dramatically in 2024, with the highest number of incidents at 273, although with a decreased lethality per clash.

“This surge might be attributed to the democratisation of reporting through social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter, moving incident accounts beyond traditional police releases.

The dire economic situation further exacerbates the problem, pushing more young people into crime, with incident numbers for the first quarter of 2025 already on track to exceed 2022’s total.

“While partial data for 2025 suggests a potential decline, possibly due to intensified security operations, the overall patterns highlight persistent instability, influenced by economic factors, election cycles, and varying security measures, “it added.

The report also said that between 2020 and early 2025, Edo, Ogun, and Delta states collectively accounted for 490 incidents (54% of the national total) and 899 fatalities (53.3% of total deaths).

“In Edo State alone, a late December 2023 clash between Black Axe and Eiye cultists reportedly claimed over 30 lives in a single week, ” it added.

Meanwhile, Anambra State recorded 128 fatalities, driven by escalating gang activity and separatist-linked violence, while Akwa Ibom (89 deaths) and Bayelsa (69 deaths) continued to battle militancy and cult wars.

Other notable states affected include Osun (55 deaths) and Kwara (58 deaths), which experienced unexpected spikes in gang violence, possibly due to the spread of cult groups from neighboring states.

However, the report stated that states like Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara reported zero or minimal fatalities, primarily because their security challenges are dominated by terrorist groups and armed banditry, which limit the operations of traditional gangs.