At least 98 police officers have been killed in various incidents across 21 states between January and October 2026, according to data compiled by Daily Trust.
The figures, drawn from media reports confirmed by police authorities, include officers killed in attacks by bandits, gunmen and terrorists, as well as road accidents and shootings involving fellow police personnel.
Yobe State recorded the highest number of casualties, with 17 officers killed, followed by Zamfara and Kebbi states, which recorded 14 deaths each.
Katsina recorded five deaths, while Borno and Taraba states recorded four each. Rivers, Sokoto, Plateau, Enugu, Lagos and Imo recorded three deaths each.
Oyo, Anambra, Abia, Kaduna and Kogi recorded two deaths each, while Adamawa, Kano and Niger recorded one death each.
A breakdown of the figures showed that bandits were responsible for 35 deaths, gunmen accounted for 29, while Boko Haram terrorists killed 22 officers. Two officers were also killed by Lakurawa terrorists.
Other incidents included three officers allegedly shot dead by fellow policemen, four killed in road accidents and hit-and-run incidents, one killed by kidnappers, another by hoodlums and one by thugs.
Some of the deadliest attacks occurred in Kebbi State, where 10 police officers were killed during a gun duel with bandits at the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area on August 10.
According to police authorities, the incident occurred at about 9:25 a.m. when operatives intercepted suspected bandits moving between Zamfara and Kebbi states.
The police said 17 suspected bandits were neutralised during the encounter, while four motorcycles belonging to the attackers were destroyed.
In Yobe State, 17 officers were reportedly killed during an attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi on May 16.
The officers were undergoing specialised operational training at the institution when militants launched a coordinated attack on the facility from multiple directions.
“The officers, who were undergoing specialised operational training at the institution, lost their lives when the militants launched a coordinated attack on the facility from multiple directions,” the then police spokesman, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, said in a statement.
He added that several soldiers were also killed in the attack but did not disclose the number of military casualties.
Benue State also recorded deadly attacks, including the killing of four police officers during a gun duel with gunmen in Ayilamo community, Logo Local Government Area, on September 10.
The Benue State Police Command said the officers stood their ground in defence of the community and repelled the attackers.
“The operatives stood firm in defence of the community and successfully repelled the attack, forcing the criminal elements to retreat into the surrounding forest with heavy casualties in the early hours of 11th September 2026,” the command said.
The slain officers were identified as Paul Ina, Mohammed Yusuf, Oge Ikechukwu and Edeh Andrew.
According to the police, their bodies were recovered from surrounding bushes during search and rescue operations.
Seven civilians were also killed in the attack, with their remains recovered and deposited at a mortuary.
Beyond attacks by criminal groups, the data also highlighted cases of police officers losing their lives through shootings involving colleagues.
In January, Inspector Sani Malumfashi was allegedly shot dead by a fellow police officer at Intels, Onne, in Rivers State.
Similarly, in October, Corporal Amos Yusuf reportedly shot his colleague, Corporal Grace Onimisi, dead at their residence in Asco Camp, Ajaokuta, Kogi State, before taking his own life.
The figures highlight the security risks confronting police personnel across the country, with officers losing their lives to armed attacks, terrorist violence, criminal activities, road incidents and internal shootings.
