Nigeria Records High Death Toll: 79,323 Lives Lost to Terror-Related Violence in Six Years

A recent investigation by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa has shed light on the alarming rate of terror-related violence in Nigeria. The six-year study, which spanned from 2020 to 2025, revealed a staggering 79,323 fatalities and 34,773 abductions. The report, titled 'Four Times Boko Haram? How the World Misreads Nigeria’s Violence,' was made public in Jos, Plateau State, and highlighted the average of seven attacks and 36 deaths per day over the six-year period. According to the findings, 42,033 of the deaths were of innocent civilians, while security forces and terror groups accounted for 37,290 fatalities. The investigation also challenged the common perception that Boko Haram and ISWAP are the primary drivers of violence in Nigeria. Instead, the data showed that 'Fulani Terror Groups' were responsible for 44% of civilian killings, which is four times the combined total of Boko Haram and ISWAP. The report's author, Steven Kefas, noted that 'a lesser value is assigned to a Christian life' in the context of abductions, with Christian hostages facing higher ransoms, longer negotiation periods, and greater risk of execution. The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa emphasized the need for a broader response to the crisis, recognizing the religious dimensions of violence in Nigeria. The report documented 34,773 civilian abductions over the six years, with 'Fulani terror groups' and 'unidentified terror groups' carrying out 43% and 49% of abductions, respectively. The investigation also found that 75% of civilians killed in community attacks were victims of raids on farming settlements, involving abduction, rape, and property destruction. The Observatory called for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the violence, stressing that attempts to find solutions remain incomplete without a full accounting of the religious dimensions of violence in Nigeria.