Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, Dr Kabir Adamu, said Nigeria recorded 9,514 deaths and 7,175 abductions between January and October 2025.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Tuesday, Dr Adamu said the data, drawn from his organisation’s five-year monitoring of security incidents, shows that while religious sites remain targets, violence in Nigeria is not driven by religion but by multiple threat actors operating across the country.
“From January 1st to October 31st, 2025, a total of 9,514 Nigerians have been killed, while 7,175 have been abducted,” Dr Adamu said. “When we disaggregated this according to the two dominant religions, we found that 2,831 Christians and 6,709 Muslims were killed. For abductions, 1,251 Christians and 5,934 Muslims were abducted.”
He explained that while attacks on churches and mosques had both occurred over the years, data indicates that religious identity is not the main factor.
“Over a five-year period, 131 attacks targeted churches, resulting in 399 abductions and 110 killings, while 75 incidents targeted mosques, resulting in 263 abductions and 142 killings,” he said. “In the northeast, where most church attacks occurred, there were also attacks on mosques by the same groups who felt that those Muslims did not share their ideology.”
Adamu stressed that Nigeria faces a complex security landscape, with up to 80 distinct threat actors active nationwide, including terrorist and criminal groups.
“There are about 80 different threat actors and vectors in Nigeria. Terror groups like Boko Haram are the most prominent, but they are not the only ones. We counted about 78 terrorist groups currently existing in Nigeria,” he noted. “Each of these groups has specific, repurposed reasons for their attacks — some ideological, others criminal.”
He acknowledged that attacks have reduced in 2025 compared to previous years, crediting some government efforts for the decline.
“When we combined attacks on churches and mosques, we observed a general reduction in 2025. Apart from a spike in 2024 linked to attacks in Katsina and Zamfara, the overall trend shows improvement. So, whatever the government is doing seems to be helping reduce incidents,” he said.
However, he cautioned that the overall situation remains dire and reflects systemic governance failures.
“If 9,000 persons are being killed in just 10 months, that is an obscene number. On the Global Peace Index, Nigeria ranks around 143, which shows how unsafe the country is,” he observed. “When you add the total number of Christians and Muslims killed over five years, you’re looking at over 30,000 people. That’s a national tragedy.”
Adamu emphasised the need for accountability across the national security apparatus.
“Accountability, accountability, accountability — that is the solution,” he declared. “There are 42 organisations involved in national security. If we start holding them accountable both financially and operationally, we can bring this to an end. The president has issued eight directives to end insurgency in 2025, and it’s unacceptable that we are still where we are.”
On Nigeria’s foreign policy and security partnerships, Dr Adamu urged caution in navigating global power dynamics amid rising U.S.–China–Russia competition.
“Nigeria must balance its interests without becoming a theatre for global rivalry,” he warned. “We should capitalise on our relationships but remain focused on what serves our national interest. International relations should be guided by our economic and security priorities.”
He concluded by commending ongoing efforts by Nigeria’s digital economy and innovation ministry but warned that without accountability at all levels, insecurity would continue to undermine development.
“We must ensure that the national security enterprise is held accountable,” Adamu said. “Only then can Nigeria begin to see real progress in ending insurgency and restoring peace.”
Boluwatife Enome
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