Nigeria has been ranked the fourth most terrorised country globally, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2026, released by the Institute for Economics & Peace, a non-profit think tank based in Sydney, Australia.
The report shows that 750 Nigerians were killed in terror attacks in 2025, a 46 per cent rise from the previous year. There were 171 recorded attacks in 2025, up from 120 in 2024.
While the North-East remains the main centre of extremist violence led by Boko Haram and ISWAP, insecurity has spread to the North-West, where bandit groups have carried out mass abductions and village raids, and to the Middle Belt, where clashes between farmers and herders have escalated.
Globally, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, and Niger are the top three most terrorised countries, with Nigeria just behind them. The country moved up from sixth place in 2024 to fourth in 2025.
Boko Haram and ISWAP Drive Most Attacks
The report attributes most terror attacks in Nigeria to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram. Civilians were the primary targets, making up 67 per cent of attacks, while military personnel accounted for 19 per cent.
Northeastern Borno State bore the brunt of the violence, experiencing 67 per cent of attacks and 72 per cent of deaths in 2025. The report notes this marks the highest death toll since 2020 and highlights a shift in terrorist targeting toward civilians over the past five years.
Political Parties Criticise Government Response
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the report as a reflection of harsh realities for Nigerians. PDP National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong called insecurity under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “worsening” and a “lucrative, trillion-naira economy,” urging a society-wide effort to stop violence and promote lasting peace.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also criticised the government, citing the 43 per cent rise in attacks and growing civilian casualties, particularly in Borno. ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi noted that ISWAP and Boko Haram remain active, while new groups like Lakurawa show deeper governance problems.
The ADC proposed a three-part strategy to tackle terror: create a national intelligence coordination system and unified Joint Terrorism Task Force, decentralise policing to bring security closer to communities, and shift from reactive to intelligence-driven preventive operations.
Both parties stressed that protecting lives and property is the government’s main responsibility and called for stronger local security, decisive action, and addressing the social and economic causes of extremism.
