79,323 Killed, 34,773 Abducted In Nigeria In Six Years — Report

A six-year investigation by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has revealed that 79,323 people were killed in terrorism-related violence across Nigeria between 2020 and 2025, while 34,773 civilians were abducted during the same period.

The findings were unveiled in Jos on Tuesday in a report titled, “Four Times Boko Haram? How the World Misreads Nigeria’s Violence,” and were confirmed in a statement signed by ORFA’s Senior Research Analyst, Frans Vierhout.

According to the report, the violence averaged seven attacks and 36 deaths every day throughout the six-year period.

ORFA stated that 42,033 of those killed were civilians, while the remaining 37,290 deaths involved security personnel and members of terrorist groups.

The organisation said its researchers spent years analysing attack patterns and cross-checking multiple sources, with the findings challenging widely held assumptions about the main drivers of violence in Nigeria.

According to the report, Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were responsible for 12 per cent of civilian killings, with Boko Haram accounting for eight per cent and ISWAP four per cent.

It said armed groups it classified as “Fulani Terror Groups” were responsible for 44 per cent of civilian deaths, amounting to 18,577 killings, compared with the combined 4,941 civilian deaths attributed to Boko Haram and ISWAP.

ORFA stressed that it distinguishes between armed Fulani groups and the broader Fulani ethnic population, stating that the overwhelming majority of Fulani people are not involved in violence.

Commenting on the findings, Vierhout said the evidence pointed to a consistent pattern.

He said, “The data makes this very difficult to ignore. We examined how killings occur, who the victims are, where attacks take place and the seasonal patterns of violence. The evidence points strongly in one direction.

“Violence linked to Fulani militias is the dominant force behind Nigeria’s death toll. The Western preoccupation with Boko Haram is, at best, misleading.

“Nigeria is incubating a terror network which the outside world has yet to acknowledge.”

The report also documented 34,773 civilian abductions during the review period.

According to ORFA, groups classified as “Fulani Terror Groups” accounted for 43 per cent of the abductions, while “Unidentified Terror Groups” were responsible for 49 per cent.

The report further highlighted what it described as a religious dimension to the violence.

It stated that 28,551 Christians and 13,224 Muslims were killed between 2020 and 2025.

According to the report, after adjusting for state population figures, Christians in affected states were killed at a rate 4.4 times higher than Muslims.

ORFA also referenced what it described as a “Captivity by Creed” pattern based on survivor testimonies.

The report claimed that Muslim captives generally faced lower ransom demands and less violence, while Christian captives were subjected to higher ransom demands, greater risk of execution and, in the case of women, a higher likelihood of sexual violence.

It added that 15,932 Christians and 15,272 Muslims were abducted during the period.

The organisation, however, maintained that Christian hostages were more likely to endure prolonged negotiations, harsher treatment and execution, even after ransom payments had been made.

Steven Kefas, ORFA’s Senior Research Analyst and author of “Captivity by Creed: The Religious Sorting System Nobody Talks About,” said the research revealed a recurring pattern.

He said, “The field research reveals that a lesser value is assigned to a Christian life. From the moment of capture, Muslim and Christian hostages enter different realities. It is not about individual captors. It is a system that is consistent across multiple states, armed groups and years of survivor testimony.”

The report also found that 75 per cent of civilian deaths occurred during attacks on communities, many of which involved raids on farming settlements, abductions, rape and destruction of property.

ORFA said its database recorded up to 60 data points for each incident using information gathered from field research, local partners, academic institutions, media and NGO reports, as well as verified social media content.

The organisation called for broader recognition of what it described as the religious dimensions of the violence, arguing that efforts to address insecurity in Nigeria would remain inadequate without acknowledging those factors.