Only 88 have reportedly been released or escaped captivity.
Call to justice
“We are shocked by the recent increase in mass abductions in north-central Nigeria,” OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in Geneva.
“We urge the Nigerian authorities – at all levels – to take all legal measures to ensure that such vile attacks are stopped and those responsible are held accountable.”
OHCHR said authorities must ensure the safe return of all those still detained and prevent further abductions.
Growing hunger, threat to security
Rising insurgent attacks are threatening regional stability and causing increased hunger, the World Food Program (WFP) added.
The latest analysis reveals that nearly 35 million people are expected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season from June to August, the highest number ever recorded in the country.
Insurgent attacks have intensified this year, the UN agency said.
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an affiliate of Al Qaeda, reportedly carried out its first attack in Nigeria last month, while the insurgent group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) is reportedly attempting to expand throughout the Sahel region.
“Communities are under severe pressure due to repeated attacks and economic tensions,” said David Stevenson, Country Director and WFP Representative in Nigeria.
“If we cannot keep families in line and food insecurity at bay, growing desperation could fuel greater instability as insurgent groups exploit hunger to expand their influence, creating a security threat that would spread across West Africa and beyond.”
Millions at risk
The WFP noted that northern Nigeria is experiencing the most severe hunger crisis in a decade, with rural farming communities hardest hit.
Nearly six million people are projected to face critical levels of hunger or worse during the 2026 lean season in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. This includes about 15,000 people in Borno State, who are expected to face catastrophic hunger or famine-like conditions.
The situation is developing as WFP continues to face funding shortfalls that have forced the agency to reduce nutrition programs in the northeast in July, affecting more than 300,000 children.
The WFP has warned that resources for emergency food and nutrition assistance will run out in December, meaning millions of people will be left without life support next year.