New ORFA Report: About 30,000 Christians Have Been Killed in Nigeria Over the Past Six Years

A large-scale study published by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has revealed catastrophic levels of violence in Nigeria. Between October 2019 and September 2025, nearly 30,000 Christian deaths were recorded in the country, making them the most vulnerable group amid the ongoing conflict. This was reported by Christian Today.

The 105-page report notes that the mortality rate among the Christian population is 4.4 times higher than among the Muslim population. In total, 79,323 people fell victim to the conflict during this period, of whom more than 42,000 were civilians. Experts identify Fulani armed groups as the main perpetrators of the violence, accounting for 44% of all attacks on civilians.

The authors of the study emphasize that the conflict has taken on a distinct religious dimension, escalating from everyday disputes to systematic bloodshed. The situation is complicated by the practice of mass abductions: over the past six years, nearly 35,000 cases of hostage-taking have been recorded. According to ORFA, Christians held captive are treated more brutally, with large ransoms demanded for them and women subjected to forced conversion to Islam and forced marriages.

ORFA Senior Analyst Frans Virhout noted that the international community is mistakenly focusing solely on the activities of “Boko Haram,” while a larger terrorist network is taking shape in the country. The report concludes with a series of recommendations for the Nigerian government and the international community, calling for an end to the culture of impunity and for the necessary support to be provided to affected communities.