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By Lizzy Chirkpi
Nigeria recorded no fewer than 750 terrorism-related deaths in 2025, a grim reflection of the country’s deepening insecurity, as it now ranks the fourth most affected nation globally in the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, GTI.
The latest report shows Nigeria trailing behind Pakistan, Burkina Faso and Niger, rising from sixth position in 2025 and eighth in both 2023 and 2024. The shift highlights a steady deterioration in security, despite repeated assurances by authorities that insurgents have been significantly degraded.
According to the report, Nigeria also recorded 171 incidents and 243 injuries within the year, with a GTI score of 7.792, underscoring a sharp escalation in violent attacks across the country.
“In 2025, Nigeria rose two places in the Index, reflecting the significant increase of terrorist activity in the country,” the report stated. “Terror attacks in Nigeria increased by 43 per cent this year, from 120 incidents in 2024 to 171 in 2025. Deaths from terrorism have continued to rise, increasing by 46 per cent to 750 in 2025.”
The report described the figure as the highest death toll since 2020, linking the surge to growing internal instability and intensified clashes among armed groups.
“This marks the highest death toll since 2020, driven by internal instability as well as ongoing conflict between ISWAP and Boko Haram. Together, fatalities attributed to these groups accounted for 80 per cent of all terrorism-related deaths in the country in 2025,” it added.
The North-East remains the worst-hit region, with Borno State accounting for 67 per cent of all attacks and 72 per cent of the total deaths recorded.
Civilians have continued to bear the brunt of the violence, making up 67 per cent of fatalities, a sharp increase from 39 per cent in 2020, a trend that points to a growing focus on vulnerable targets. Military personnel accounted for 19 per cent of those killed.
Among the groups driving the violence, ISWAP emerged as the deadliest, responsible for more than half of all attacks and deaths.
“ISWAP reclaimed its position as Nigeria’s deadliest terrorist group this year,” the report said. “Despite a decrease in attacks in recent years, only claiming 20 in 2024, ISWAP has re-escalated and carried out 92 attacks this year, resulting in 384 deaths.”
Meanwhile, Boko Haram remains active and increasingly deadly. The group carried out 43 attacks in 2025, resulting in 213 deaths, up from 26 attacks and 166 fatalities recorded in 2024.
The report also cited one of the most lethal incidents of the year, when militants attacked the villages of Mallam Karamti and Kwatandashi in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
It further highlighted the emergence of a new armed group, Lakurawa, linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, which carried out 10 attacks resulting in 74 deaths, a notable rise from its limited activity in the previous year.
Globally, Pakistan topped the index with 1,139 deaths, 1,595 injuries and 1,045 incidents, followed by Burkina Faso and Niger, while Mali ranked fifth.
The findings raise renewed concerns over Nigeria’s security trajectory, as the rising death toll continues to contradict official claims of progress in the fight against insurgency.