Jos, Nigeria – A new study by The Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has exposed the staggering scale of violence and abductions committed by terror groups in Nigeria over the past four years.
The report, released to the public on Thursday, highlights that 55,910 people have been killed and 21,000 abducted in the period from October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2023.
According to the study, there has been a significant rise in kidnappings, particularly in 2022, surpassing previous years. The victims include both Muslims and Christians, though Christians have suffered a disproportionately higher death toll.
The report emphasizes that Islamist extremist groups and local militias, such as the Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM), have been responsible for a majority of these atrocities.
The ORFA statement, signed by Data Scientist Frans Vierhout, underscores the alarming frequency of extreme violence in Nigeria.
“Across the country, over 11,000 incidents of extreme violence took place during the data period, with more than 55,000 killings and 21,000 abductions,” the statement read.
The study reveals that while the Nigerian military has concentrated its efforts in the North-East and North-West regions, the North-Central Zone and Southern Kaduna have experienced a high number of incidents largely unchallenged.
The ORFA’s findings indicate that the military’s focus on distant targets has left local populations vulnerable to ongoing violence.
The report details that in the North-Central Zone alone, there were 3,007 incidents of extreme violence. Of these, 2,010 were killings, 700 were abductions, and 297 involved both killings and abductions.
Despite the significant number of incidents, security operations have not been adequately directed towards addressing the FEM’s rampage in these areas.
The ORFA expressed deep concern over what it describes as a “lack of adequate response” to the violence. The report suggests that the insurgents have been able to operate with relative freedom due to the security forces’ focus on other regions.
“The mass killings, abductions, and torture of whole families by terrorist groups are a result of severe misallocation of security resources,” the statement continued.
“While the military pursues targets far from these affected areas, the violence continues unchecked.”
The findings from ORFA call for a reevaluation of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategies to address the severe and ongoing crisis in the regions hardest hit by terrorism.
The study also highlights the need for more effective security measures and a reassessment of how resources are allocated to combat the escalating violence.
As Nigeria grapples with this crisis, the international community and human rights organizations are urged to take note of the grave situation and provide necessary support to mitigate the humanitarian impact of these ongoing terror attacks.
