New Report Says Over 79,000 People Killed in Nigeria’s Terror-Related Violence Between 2020 and 2025
A six-year investigation by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has revealed that terrorism-related violence claimed the lives of 79,323 people across Nigeria between 2020 and 2025, while at least 34,773 civilians were abducted during the same period.
The findings were unveiled in Jos, Plateau State, through a report titled “Four Times Boko Haram? How the World Misreads Nigeria’s Violence.” According to the organisation, the study is based on years of research, data verification, and analysis of violent incidents recorded across the country.
The report revealed that Nigeria experienced an average of seven violent attacks every day during the six-year period, resulting in roughly 36 deaths daily.
According to ORFA, more than 42,000 of those killed were civilians, while the remaining casualties included members of security agencies and armed groups involved in the conflict.
One of the report’s major findings challenges the widely held belief that Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are the leading perpetrators of violence in Nigeria.
The research claimed that both groups were responsible for only about 12 percent of civilian deaths recorded during the period, with Boko Haram accounting for eight percent and ISWAP four percent.
In contrast, the report alleged that armed groups identified as Fulani militias were linked to approximately 44 percent of all civilian killings, making them the largest single source of civilian casualties documented in the investigation.
The organisation stressed that its findings should not be interpreted as a condemnation of the Fulani ethnic group, noting that the overwhelming majority of Fulani people have no involvement in criminal or terrorist activities.
Researchers explained that the study focused specifically on armed groups accused of carrying out attacks and not on any ethnic community.
The report also documented 34,773 civilian abductions during the six-year period, with researchers alleging that armed Fulani groups and other unidentified armed groups were responsible for the majority of kidnapping incidents recorded.
Beyond the casualty figures, the report highlighted what it described as a religious dimension to the violence.
According to the findings, 28,551 Christians and 13,224 Muslims were killed during the review period, while thousands from both religious groups were abducted.
Researchers further claimed that Christian victims often faced higher ransom demands, longer periods in captivity, harsher treatment, and a greater risk of execution compared to Muslim captives, based on testimonies gathered from survivors.
The study also found that about 75 percent of civilian deaths occurred during attacks on rural farming communities, where victims reportedly faced killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, and destruction of homes and property.
ORFA stated that its investigation relied on multiple sources, including field researchers, local partners, academic institutions, media reports, non-governmental organisations, and verified social media evidence.
The organisation called on policymakers, security agencies, and the international community to broaden their understanding of Nigeria’s security crisis, arguing that lasting solutions require a comprehensive assessment of both the security and religious dimensions of the conflict.
The report concluded that addressing the country’s growing insecurity will require stronger collaboration, improved intelligence gathering, protection for vulnerable communities, and policies capable of tackling the root causes of violence across affected regions.