A recent report by The Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has revealed a staggering death toll from terror-related violence in Nigeria, with 55,910 people killed and 21,000 abducted between 2019 and 2023.
The report, released on Thursday, attributes these atrocities primarily to extremist groups including Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed herders.
The ORFA report highlights a disproportionate impact on Christians, who have been subjected to 2.7 times more killings and 5.1 times more abductions than Muslims. It notes that land-based community attacks are responsible for 81% of civilian killings, with armed herders being identified as responsible for at least 42% of these deaths. Boko Haram and ISWAP are reported to have collectively killed 10% of the victims.
Frans Vierhout, ORFA’s data scientist, expressed alarm over the findings.
He remarked, “Millions of people are left undefended. For years, we’ve heard of calls for help being ignored as terrorists attack vulnerable communities. Mass killings, abductions, and torture of whole families go largely unchallenged as the military pursue targets hundreds of miles away. Islamist extremists enjoy relative freedom to carry out atrocities against civilians in large regions of Nigeria.”
The report details that over 11,000 incidents of extreme violence occurred during the study period, with a significant concentration of these events in the North Central zone, which experienced 3,007 incidents. This included 2,010 killings, 700 abductions, and 297 incidents involving both killings and abductions.
Rev. Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, an ORFA partner and analyst, called for urgent government action.
He stated, “Nigeria’s government must prioritize civilian protection and address the root causes of the displacement crisis. Armed herders are targeting Christian populations, while Muslims also suffer severely at their hands. Kidnappers work to Islamist goals. Where young women are kidnapped, tortured, and sexually violated, hope for a normal married life and family may vanish.”
The report urges the international community to review these findings and better understand the severe challenges facing Nigeria.