A new report by SBM Intelligence has revealed that the Nigeria Police Force lost 201 rifles to terrorists, bandits and other armed groups between 2021 and mid-2026, accounting for more than 70 per cent of all firearms stolen from security agencies during the period.
The report, titled Nigeria’s Stolen Rifles: Who Loses, Who Takes, disclosed that a total of 282 rifles were stolen from Nigerian security personnel in 94 separate incidents nationwide.
According to the report, the Nigeria Police recorded the highest losses with 201 rifles, representing 71.3 per cent of the total. The military followed with 45 stolen rifles (16 per cent), while unspecified security agencies lost 15 rifles (5.3 per cent).
Other agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Customs Service, lost a combined 12 rifles, while vigilante groups accounted for the remaining nine.
The report identified “unknown gunmen” as the leading perpetrators, responsible for stealing 168 rifles, representing 59.6 per cent of the total. Bandits were linked to the theft of 58 rifles (20.6 per cent), while the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) accounted for 41 rifles (14.5 per cent).
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was linked to the theft of nine rifles, kidnappers stole four, while Boko Haram was responsible for two.
State-by-state analysis showed that Delta recorded the highest number of stolen rifles with 67, followed by Abia with 51, Borno with 40, Zamfara with 20 and Katsina with 11. Together, Delta and Abia accounted for 42 per cent of all stolen service rifles recorded during the period.
SBM Intelligence also noted that the rate of firearm theft from security personnel accelerated in 2026, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of security operatives and the growing threat posed by armed groups.
Despite the losses, the report stated that security agencies recovered 1,442 rifles between 2021 and mid-2026—far exceeding the number stolen from personnel. According to SBM Intelligence, the disparity suggests that the country’s proliferation of illegal firearms extends well beyond weapons taken from security forces.
“Between 2021 and mid-2026, armed groups stole 282 rifles from Nigerian security forces across 94 incidents. Police lost 71 per cent of these. Delta and Abia accounted for 42 per cent of thefts, with the pace accelerating in 2026. Yet the recoveries (1,442) dwarf thefts; this is a sign that Nigeria’s illegal weapons problem goes far beyond stolen service rifles,” the report stated.
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