A recent mid-year report released by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) indicates that extremist groups were responsible for 3,610 deaths and 3,960 kidnappings in Nigeria throughout the first half of 2026. Emeka Umeagbalasi, the board chairman of the rights group, detailed these findings, which cover 22 distinct types of international crimes.
Data provided by the organization suggests that these attacks targeted both religious groups, claiming the lives of 2,550 Christians and 1,050 Muslims. Furthermore, the report highlights the destruction of 300 churches and alleges that 800 Christian women and children were subjected to forced conversion. Regional data shows that Plateau and southern Borno experienced the highest rates of Christian fatalities, while southern Borno and southern Kaduna saw the most frequent abductions.
Beyond these figures, the group stated that 850 Muslim civilians were killed by jihadists, with an additional 200 dying due to military airstrikes in Yobe, Borno, and Zamfara. The report also pointed to a May 10 airstrike in Niger State’s Guradnayi community that resulted in multiple Christian deaths.
In response to these findings, Intersociety criticized the Nigerian Federal Government for insufficient action on security and called for the resignation of UN Special Rapporteur Nazila Ghanea, claiming she minimized the extent of religious persecution during her visit. As of now, the government and security officials have not provided an official rebuttal to these claims.