New Report Reveals Over 55,000 Deaths in Nigeria Over Four Years Due to Religious and Ethnic Violence

 A comprehensive four-year study conducted by researchers from the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has revealed that 55,910 deaths were recorded in Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2023 due to religious and ethnic violence. ORFA, an organization that monitors religious freedoms and documents rights violations in Nigeria, released the report highlighting the alarming situation.

The study points to widespread violence, particularly in the North Central Zone and Southern Kaduna, where mass killings, abductions, and family torture have occurred with minimal intervention from security forces. Peace advocate Rev. Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam sees this violence as part of a broader strategy to destabilize and terrorize vulnerable communities.

According to a statement released on Thursday, August 29, by Frans Vierhout, a data scientist at ORFA, the study identifies the Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM) as a major perpetrator of violence in Nigeria. The report also notes that the country’s military resources are mainly concentrated in the North-East and North-West regions, far from where many of these FEM atrocities are taking place.

“Over 11,000 incidents of extreme violence took place across the country during the data period, resulting in more than 55,000 killings and 21,000 abductions. In the North Central zone alone, there were 3,007 incidents of extreme violence. Out of these, 2,010 involved killings, 700 were abduction incidents, and 297 were a combination of both,” the statement detailed.

The Fulani Ethnic Militia was reportedly responsible for 42% of all civilian deaths, while Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) combined accounted for 10%. FEM, described by many security experts as an ethnoreligious terror group, is known for attacking small Christian farming communities, engaging in acts such as killings, rapes, abductions, and burning homes. The study indicates that for every Muslim killed, approximately 2.7 Christians were murdered during this period.

The report also highlights a stark disparity in the death toll between Christian and Muslim communities. In the affected states, Christian communities suffer a significantly higher proportional loss, with 6.5 times more Christians being murdered compared to Muslims.

Additionally, the report shows an increase in abductions over the four years. In 2020, 1,665 people were abducted, with the number rising to 5,907 in 2021, 7,705 in 2022, and 6,255 in 2023. The study also found that Christians are 1.4 times more likely to be abducted than Muslims, with an estimated 5.1 Christians abducted for every Muslim within local populations. This pattern suggests that these kidnappings are targeted, particularly by FEM, which often focuses on Christian communities.

The findings of this report emphasize the urgent need for enhanced security measures and interventions to address the ongoing violence and protect vulnerable communities across Nigeria.