More than 190,000 Nigerians have lost their lives to terrorists between July 2009 and March 2026, according to a new report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.
According to the group, the deaths were connected to attacks throughout the nation by suspected armed herders, robbers, and Boko Haram terrorists.
The data, which was published by Intersociety Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi and obtained by ENigeria Newspaper, showed that certain communities were also impacted by targeted attacks, pointing out that in the early years of the crisis, at least 3,000 Igbo Christians in Northern Nigeria were kidnapped and slain.
Beyond the death toll, the organisation said at least 131,100 Nigerians were abducted within the same timeframe, comprising 81,100 Christians and 50,000 moderate Muslims. According to Umeagbalasi, about 30,000 of those abducted during the peak of insurgency between 2009 and 2014 were later killed in captivity.
He added that certain communities were also impacted by targeted attacks, pointing out that in the early years of the crisis, at least 3,000 Igbo Christians in Northern Nigeria were kidnapped and slain. According to the research, around 50,000 Christians were abducted between 2015 and the end of 2025; some 20,000 of them were subsequently liberated after paying a ransom, and 2,500 were supposedly transferred to camps run by international extremists.
Providing more breakdowns, the group said 6,000 victims managed to escape, 3,000 were rescued through security operations, and 3,500 were forced into ideological conversions. It also noted that about 5,000 abductees were killed in captivity, while an estimated 10,000 people are still being held.
Highlighting more recent trends, Umeagbalasi stated, “In 2025 alone, an estimated 7,500 Christians were killed and 8,500 abducted across the country.”
He added that within the first 78 days of 2026, “at least 1,050 Christians and 550 moderate Muslims had been killed, while 1,690 Christians and 650 Muslims were abducted.”
The report also highlighted the resurgence of violence in several areas of Borno State, especially in Gwoza, where returning refugees were targeted. Approximately 400 people were kidnapped and between 250 and 300 people were purportedly slain in those episodes.
Benue State, Adamawa State, Plateau State, and Kaduna State, where several murders and kidnappings have also been reported in recent months, are additional states designated as flashpoints.
Among recent victims, the group said a Catholic priest and a pastor — Rev. Joshua Aliya of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ — were killed in separate attacks in Plateau and Kaduna states.
