The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has revealed that 79,323 people were killed and 34,773 others abducted in terrorism-related violence across Nigeria between 2020 and 2025.
The findings were contained in a report titled “Four Times Boko Haram? How the World Misreads Nigeria’s Violence,” released to journalists in Jos on Tuesday and signed by ORFA Senior Research Analyst, Frans Vierhout.
According to the report, Nigeria recorded an average of seven terror attacks and 36 deaths daily during the six-year period, with more than 42,000 of those killed identified as civilians.
ORFA stated that while Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are widely blamed for insecurity, the report found that armed groups it described as “Fulani Terror Groups” were responsible for 44 percent of civilian deaths, compared to 12 percent attributed to Boko Haram and ISWAP combined.
The organisation stressed that it distinguishes between armed Fulani groups and the wider Fulani population, noting that the vast majority of Fulani people are not involved in violence.
The report also documented 34,773 abductions, alleging that armed Fulani groups and unidentified armed groups accounted for 43 percent and 49 percent of the kidnappings, respectively.
ORFA further claimed that 75 percent of civilian deaths occurred during attacks on communities and farming settlements involving abduction, rape and destruction of property.
On the religious dimension of the violence, the report stated that 28,551 Christians and 13,224 Muslims were killed during the period. It also alleged that Christian hostages often faced higher ransom demands, longer captivity, greater violence and a higher risk of execution than Muslim captives.
The organisation said its findings were based on multiple data sources, including field research, local partners, academic projects, media reports, NGOs and verified social media information.
ORFA called for broader recognition of the religious dimension of Nigeria’s insecurity, arguing that efforts to address the country’s security challenges would remain incomplete without acknowledging the full nature of the violence.
