Nigeria Faces Surge in Ethnic and Religious Violence as Report Reveals Nearly 56,000 Dead Over Four Years with Christians Bearing the Brunt

Recent findings from The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa reveal a grim reality in Nigeria.

Over the past four years, ethnic and religious violence has claimed nearly 56,000 lives, with a disproportionate impact on Christians.

The data, covering from October 2019 to September 2023, highlights over 11,000 incidents of extreme violence, resulting in 55,910 deaths from 9,970 attacks and 21,621 abductions in 2,705 separate incidents.

Disproportionate Impact on Christians

The report sheds light on the severe impact of this violence on Christian communities.

Out of the total deaths, 30,880 were civilians. Among them, at least 16,769 were Christians, compared to 6,235 Muslims and 154 adherents of traditional African religions.

The religions of 7,722 victims remain unknown.

The data indicates that Christians were disproportionately affected; they were 6.5 times more likely to be killed and 5.1 times more likely to be abducted compared to other groups, based on state populations.

Community Attacks and Perpetrators

The violence predominantly took place in land-based community attacks, which accounted for 81% of civilian deaths.

Armed Fulani herdsmen, who are Sunni Muslim, were responsible for a significant portion of these attacks, killing at least 9,153 Christians and 1,473 Muslims.

Additionally, about 41% of attacks were attributed to various groups categorized as “other terrorist groups,” potentially including different factions of Fulani bandits.

These groups were responsible for 10,274 deaths, including 3,804 Christians and 2,919 Muslims.

Islamist Groups and Government Response

Islamist groups, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, were behind about 11% of the attacks.

Boko Haram killed at least 851 Christians and 491 Muslims, while the Islamic State was responsible for the deaths of 265 Christians and 127 Muslims.

The report reveals a troubling pattern of targeting Christian communities and highlights the dire situation faced by these vulnerable groups.

Criticism and Call for Action

Nina Shea from the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom criticized the Nigerian government for its inaction and accused it of tolerating the violence.

She argued that the government’s indifference seems to align with the militants’ goal of eradicating Christianity through murder and forced conversion.

Furthermore, she criticized the U.S. Department of State for removing Nigeria from its “Country of Particular Concern” list, a designation reserved for countries with severe religious freedom violations.

The situation remains critical, with many calling for greater international intervention and support for the affected communities.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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