Nigeria's Terror Violence Deaths Reach 79,323 Over Six Years, Report Finds

A six‑year investigation by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) reported that 79,323 people were killed in terrorism‑related violence in Nigeria between 2020 and 2025, and 34,773 civilians were abducted. The report, titled “Four Times Boko Haram? How the World Misreads Nigeria’s Violence,” said the country averaged seven attacks and 36 deaths per day, with more than 42,000 of the fatalities being civilians.

ORFA found that armed groups classified as “Fulani Terror Groups” were responsible for 44 % of civilian killings (18,577 deaths), while Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province together accounted for only 12 % (4,941 deaths). The study also highlighted a religious dimension: 28,551 Christians were killed compared with 13,224 Muslims, and Christians were killed at 4.4 times the rate of Muslims in the hardest‑hit states.

Abductions totalled 34,773, with Fulani groups and unidentified terror groups responsible for 43 % and 49 % respectively. Seventy‑five percent of civilian deaths occurred during attacks on farming communities that involved raids, abductions, sexual violence and property destruction. ORFA called for international recognition of these patterns to inform more effective security interventions.