According to a recent analysis by SBM Intelligence, between January 2020 and March 2025, at least 909 gang violent episodes occurred in Nigeria, killing at least 1,686 persons.
The study, which was made public on Tuesday, reportedly depicted a bleak image of gang and cult-related conflicts that were raging across many states, with the greatest number of fatalities occurring in Rivers, Lagos, and Edo.
Rivers State led the list with 215 recorded deaths, followed by Lagos with 197 and Edo with 192, according to the SBM Intelligence study. These numbers highlight the rising crime associated with cult battles in urban and semi-urban areas.
The research noted that cult groups including the Vikings, Icelanders, Eiye, Aiye, Black Axe, and Greenlanders were among the main participants in these conflicts.
“With over 750 deaths, the South-South leads in fatalities, motivated by fierce feuds between Vikings, Icelanders, and Greenlanders, especially in Rivers State,” the research said.
Southwest and South-South Worst Hits
With over 750 killings, the South-South region was followed by the Southwest with 491 deaths, particularly in Lagos and Ogun, where the Aiye and Eiye fraternities have frequently clashed.
In the Southeast, more than 215 people were killed, mostly in Anambra, where separatist-related turmoil is thought to have combined with violent cult activity.
“The Southeast is also very deadly (215+ deaths), with a lot of Viking and Aiye activity in Anambra,” the study said.
Cult-related violence claimed 204 lives in Benue State alone, with ongoing communal clashes including lesser-known organizations like Scavengers and Chain.
A horrific conflict in December 2023 in Edo, where Black Axe and Eiye cults reportedly clashed and killed over 30 people in a single week, was one of the flashpoints identified in the research.
899 deaths, or more than half of all recorded deaths, and 490 occurrences, or 54% of all cult violence in the country, occurred in Edo, Ogun, and Delta States between 2020 and the beginning of 2025.
Record Nearly Zero Cult Deaths in Borno, Zamfara, and Kebbi
The Northeast and Northwest regions combined saw fewer than 30 fatalities, according to the report, primarily as a result of armed banditry and terrorism overshadowing typical cult activities.
Because terrorist organizations dominate their security concerns, states like Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara reported zero or very few fatalities, the report noted.
Cult-related homicides also sharply increased in other states, such as Akwa Ibom (89 deaths), Bayelsa (69), Osun (55), and Kwara (58), indicating that gang networks had expanded outside their customary borders.
Year 2021: The Deadliest for Gang Violence
2021 was the bloodiest year throughout the assessment period, with 377 deaths from 173 occurrences, according to SBM’s Violence Tracker. Analysts blamed political instability and the difficulties that followed COVID-19 for the increase.
With 273 occurrences, the number of incidents peaked in 2024, however the average number of fatalities each encounter decreased.
The paper went on to say, “This surge might be attributed to the democratization of reporting through social media platforms like TikTok and 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), moving incident accounts beyond classical police releases.”
In contrast, 2022 saw a decline with 97 events and 228 deaths, most likely as a result of security crackdowns and short-term truces.
Additionally, the survey connected Nigeria’s deteriorating economy to the increase in violence, implying that more young people are turning to cult groups as a means of surviving.
“The number of incidents for the first quarter of 2025 is already on track to surpass the total for 2022,” SBM cautioned, while it also noted that the trend might be slowed by recent increased security efforts.
Even with significant annual variations, the general trend indicates ongoing instability associated with cult rivalry, financial difficulties, and lax law enforcement in urban slums.
