Fact sheet Nigeria – Abductions in the context of ‘TERROR’ (2020-2025)

The data presented are based primarily on primary data from our local research partners and on secondary ACLED data for Nigeria. Both sources are essential, as neither is exhaustive. Furthermore, ACLED rarely mentions the religious affiliation of fatalities and relies primarily on selected media sources and official reports, which rarely provide such details. Therefore, additional research was needed to break down the ACLED totals by religious affiliation. When this was not possible, the data was marked as “Unknown religious identity.”

Introduction

Nigeria is grappling with a complex security crisis characterized by widespread violence, especially targeting religious groups. From 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2025, research shows that the Muslim Fulani Ethnic Militia have been carrying out mass killings, abductions, and torture of Christian civilians with little resistance. Government forces largely failed to intervene, focusing their efforts elsewhere while these attacks continued unopposed.

The analysis has been carried out only for civilian abductions. The difference between all people abducted and civilians abducted was small. In clashes between Security Forces and Terror Groups (and Terror Groups amongst each other), people are normally killed, not abducted.

Nigeria: Key Violence Statistics on Abductions (Oct 2019–Sept 2025)

• Total people abducted: 34,917 (civilians: 34,773; members of Security Forces or members of Terror Groups: 144)
• Attacks with abductions: 4,590
• Average: 2 attacks per day involving abductions

Religious Group Impact of Abductions

• More Nigerian Christian civilians were killed than Nigerians holding other religious affiliations. Amongst the 42,033 civilians killed:
  • Number of Christian civilians killed: 22,835
  • Number of Muslim civilians killed was 10,519
  • Number of African Traditional Religionists killed: 184
• Actual ratio of Christian civilians to Muslim civilians killed: 2.2
• Proportional ratio of Christian civilians to Muslim civilians killed (adjusted for religious population in the different states): 4.4

Religious Group Impact of Abductions

• More Nigerian Christian civilians were abducted than Nigerians holding other religious affiliations. Amongst the 34,773 civilians abducted:
  • Number of Christian civilians abducted: 15,932
  • Number of Muslim civilians abducted was 15,272
  • Number of African Traditional Religionists abducted: 252
  • Religious identity of 3,317 civilians abducted remained unknown.
• Actual ratio of Christian civilians to Muslim civilians abducted: 1.0
• Proportional ratio of Christian civilians to Muslim civilians abducted (adjusted for religious population in the different states): 3.2

Distribution of Abductions with Unknown Religious Identity over Other Categories

After distribution of the number of civilians abducted with unknown religious identity over the other categories, the new numbers for the 34,773 civilians abducted are:

• Distributed number of Christian civilians abducted: 17,642
  • Distributed number of Muslim civilians abducted was 16,857
  • Distributed number of African Traditional Religionists abducted: 274

Patterns of Attack with Abductions

• Most civilians were abducted during attacks on their communities: 25,246 (73%).

Trends over Time for Abductions

• Over the overall 6-year reporting period, the North West was the epicenter of abductions, followed by the North Central zone. The abduction phenomenon is more spread out over the year than is the case with killings, although most abductions also take place in the context of community attacks.

Groups Responsible for Abductions

• Civilians: Most civilians were abducted by Unidentified Terror Groups (17,197; 49%) and Fulani Terror Groups (15,107; 43%). Boko Haram and ISWAP combined were responsible for 2,164 (6%) civilians abducted.
• Christian civilians: Unidentified Terror Groups were responsible for 54% of all Christian civilians abducted; Fulani Terror Groups for 41%. Boko Haram and ISWAP combined were responsible for 3% of all Christian civilians abducted.
• Muslim civilians: Unidentified Terror Groups were responsible for 50% of all Muslim

civilians abducted; Fulani Terror Groups for 43%. Boko Haram and ISWAP combined were responsible for 6% of all Muslim civilians abducted.

Hotspots of Violence with Abductions

Violent attacks with abductions were concentrated in a limited number of states, and within states in a limited number of LGAs. Hardly any members of Security Forces or Terror Groups were abducted so the following statements focus on civilians.

• Abductions in the Top 5 states over all six years:
  • Civilians abducted: Kaduna saw the most civilians abducted (26%). The Top 5 states had 76% of the total number of civilians abducted in the country.
  • Christian civilians abducted: Kaduna saw the most Christian civilians abducted (42%). The Top 5 states had 68% of the total number of Christian civilians abducted in the country.
  • Muslim civilians abducted: Zamfara saw the most Muslim civilians abducted (32%). The Top 5 states had 87% of the total number of Muslim civilians abducted in the country.
• Abductions in the Top 10 LGAs over all six years:
  • 38% of civilians were abducted in 10 LGAs out of 524 with registered abductions of civilians.
  • 49% of Christian civilians were abducted in 10 LGAs out of 434 with registered abductions of Christian civilians.
  • 39% of Muslim civilians were abducted in 10 LGAs out of 250 with registered abductions of Muslim civilians.

Additional Findings

• ORFA’s research showed that the Fulani Terror Groups are affiliated with FEM (Fulani Ethnic Militia). FEM is an ethno-religious terror group.

• Additional research showed that a significant part of the Unidentified Terror Groups consists of so-called bandit groups. Many of them have a Fulani background and can be considered as affiliated with FEM (see article: ‘Who is behind the violence in northern Nigeria’).
• It follows that the affiliates of FEM were a much larger factor in the violence in Nigeria than Boko Haram and ISWAP combined.

Final notes

• The Fulani Ethnic Militias in Northern Nigeria run a structured captivity system in which religion, and to a lesser extent ethnicity, determine who is abducted, how they are treated. Muslim abductees are generally spared routine beatings and sexual violence, receive adequate food, and are sometimes allowed to observe religious practices, whereas Christian captives face systematic physical abuse, sexual violence, and psychological terror, including being forced to witness killings. This disparity extends to ransom practices: Muslim civilians are often released after shorter negotiations for lower sums, while Christian families face higher demands, broken agreements, and cases where relatives are killed even after full payment (see: ‘Captivity by creed: The Religious sorting system nobody talks about’).

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