Nigeria has recorded one of the most alarming increases in terrorism fatalities globally, despite an overall decline in terror-related deaths worldwide, according to the 2026 Global Terrorism Index (GTI).
The report revealed that “Nigeria recorded the largest increase in 2025, with fatalities rising by 46 per cent to 750. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram were responsible for 80 per cent of all terrorism deaths in the country.”
The GTI further noted that terrorism remains highly concentrated globally, stating that “just under 70 per cent of deaths from terrorism occurred in only five countries: Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
It added that “Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had the largest increases in deaths from terrorism, with rises of 237 deaths and 102 deaths, respectively.”
According to the report, Nigeria recorded two out of the 20 most fatal terrorist attacks in 2025, all of which occurred in Borno State and were carried out by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram.
The report said, “Gunmen attacked the village of Darajamal, Bama local government area, Borno state, on September 5, 2025, killing 58 villagers and 5 soldiers. 30 of the gunmen were reportedly killed by the Nigerian army after the attack.
“No organisation has claimed responsibility for the assault at the time of writing, although local media sources have attributed the attack to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).”
Also, on May 15, 2025, “Jihadists attacked the neighbouring villages of Mallam Karamti and Kwatandashi in Kukawa local government area, Borno state.
“According to local press reports, approximately one hundred civilians were rounded up and taken into the forest, with fifty-seven bodies later recovered and seventy individuals still missing. Media reports attribute the attack to Boko Haram’s JAS faction.”
The GTI, produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace, is a comprehensive study analysing the impact of terrorism across 163 countries, covering 99.7 per cent of the world’s population.
The report uses data from Terrorism Tracker and other sources to rank countries based on the impact of terrorism using a scale from 0 to 10.
According to the report, global terrorism trends showed a significant improvement in 2025.
“Deaths from terrorism fell by 28 per cent to 5,582, and incidents decreased by 22 per cent to 2,944, marking the lowest figures since 2007,” the report said.
However, the decline was not uniform across regions, as the report highlighted a worrying spike in Western countries, noting that “western terrorism fatalities rose sharply by 280 per cent to 57 in 2025, largely driven by antisemitism, Islamophobia and political terrorism.”
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear the brunt of global terrorism.
The GTI emphasised that six of the 10 most affected countries are located in the region, reinforcing its status as the global epicentre of terrorism.
For the first time since the inception of the index, Pakistan ranked as the country most impacted by terrorism, recording 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025, its highest level since 2013.
The report also identified a troubling rise in youth radicalisation, noting that investigations linked to youth terrorism have tripled since 2021.
It added that over the same period, 93 per cent of all fatal attacks in Western countries were carried out by lone actors.
Globally, the Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the deadliest terrorist organisation, responsible for just under 17 per cent of all attacks in 2025.
Other major groups contributing to global fatalities include Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Shabaab.
The GTI also highlighted shifting patterns in terrorism, particularly in border regions.
It stated that over 76 per cent of attacks occurred within 100 kilometres of an international border in 2025, up from just under 60 per cent in 2007.
Despite the global decline in attacks, the report warned that emerging geopolitical tensions could reverse recent gains.
It cautioned that escalating conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, could fuel further instability and increase the risk of terrorism spreading across regions.
The report stressed that although improvements were recorded in 81 countries, the highest since 2021, terrorism remains a significant global threat, especially in conflict-affected areas.
It noted that while progress has been made in reducing terrorism globally, the sharp rise in countries like Nigeria underscores the urgent need for more effective counter-terrorism strategies and sustained international cooperation.
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