Rights Group, Intersociety Says Nigeria Currently Home To About 22 Terrorists Organisations

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, August 13th, 2025

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of law Intersociety, has alleged that Nigeria is currently the headquarters of no fewer than twenty two embryonic and full grown Islamic terror groups.

The rights group added that these terrorist groups allegedly have potential links to ISIS, ISIL and world Jihad fund, just as it accused Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen of killing an average of 6000 Christians annually in Nigeria.

It further claimed that “Jihadists killed 185,009 defenseless Nigerians Since 2009 (16 Years), Including 125,009 Christians and 60,000 Liberal Muslims-during which 19,100 Churches were Razed, more than 1,100 Christian communities sacked.

The group made this known in its latest special report jointly signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, criminologist Researcher/Head Intersociety, Obianuju Joy Igboeli, human rights lawyer and Head, department of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Barrister Chidinma Udegbunam, and made available to newsmen.

Other senior staff of the organization who signed the document include, Barr. Ogochukwu Obi, Head, Department of Int’l Justice and Human Rights, Comrade Samuel Kamanyaoku, Head, Field Data collection and Documentation Department.

“Their 20,000 square miles of lands taken-over and over 600 christian clerics abducted, including abduction of 250 catholic priests and 350 pastors and killing of dozens.

“Nigeria is headquartering and providing safe haven for no fewer than 22 embryonic and full grown Islamic Terror “groups in Africa with links or potential links to ISIS, ISIL and World Jihad Fund”

“The 22 Islamic terror groups, presently using Nigeria as their safest haven, are also seeking to obliterate or wipe out estimated 112 million christians and 13 million traditional religionists across the country, particularly in igbo land south-east and south-south by the year 2075 or in 50 years’ time.

“It is also important to inform that apart from seeking to uproot and obliterate Christianity, these 22 Islamic Terror Groups are seeking, using violence and genocidal means, to obliterate or wipe out Nigeria’s indigenous ethnic groups and their identities especially the 3,475-year-Old Igbo Cultural Heritage put in place since 1450BC”

“It is also very important to clarify that many of the Igbo Traditional religionists are Christianity-affiliated.

According to Intersociety, “These 22 Islamic terror groups operating unchallenged and under strongly suspected State protection and complicity in Nigeria and its Northern part, are seeking further to plunge Nigeria into “a country where Christianity is banned and brutally crushed, relegated and forced underground”.

“A replica of Sudan where Government-backed Jihadist Janjaweed were deployed over the years to wipe out almost all Christian communities and villages including destruction of 65 churches across the country in 2023 alone.

“Other countries lending anti-Christian crush to Nigeria are Libya, Algeria, North Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Somalia and Afghanistan-where it is a high crime to be seen with holy bible or wearing Christian symbols or saying Christian prayers or singing praises and worship songs.

” Our further study also showed that no fewer than 19,100 churches have been attacked including being sacked or closed down or burned down or razed or destroyed and converted to Islamic centers.

“This number had increased from estimated 13,000 churches attacked between July 2009 and end of 2015 to 19,100; recording a shocking addition of no fewer than 6,100, attacked between January 2016 and August 10, 2025; during which no fewer than 11 Catholic Dioceses and many of their parishes and outstations in Northern Nigeria were attacked, shut and deserted.

“The above is according to credible multiple sources highlighted in this Report.

“No fewer than 500 Christian clerics were attacked and abducted in the past 16 years including the abduction of 160 Catholic Priests and captivity killing of eleven others including Seminarians from 2015 to August 10, 2025.

It added that “no fewer than 1,100 Christian communities particularly in the North were sacked by Fulani-led Islamic Jihadists and their ancestral lands, measuring about 20,000 square miles seized and occupied, out of which the worst hit States are Plateau, Benue, Niger, Southern Kaduna, Abuja hinterland (.i.e. Abaji).

Others includes,” Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa and Kogi; with Edo, Delta, Imo, Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, Oyo and Osun experiencing alarming incursionary increases since mid-2023. Christian areas of Kebbi and Katsina have also almost been obliterated.

“No fewer than 12m Christian and about 3m Muslim IDPs have also been generated in the past 16 years or since July 2009 and forced into poorly managed and porously secured IDP camps where thousands are abducted or killed yearly by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen.

“Tens of thousands of such uprooted Christians have also been forced into exile or refugee camps while thousands of the educated ones ended up internationally as “urban refugees” across international borders.

The group posited that ” no fewer than 7,087 Christians were massacred across Nigeria in the first 220 days of 2025 or from January 1 to August 10, 2025, during which no fewer than 7,800 others were violently seized and abducted for being Christians.

It further alleged that “the brutal massacre of an estimated 7,087 Christians and abduction of 7,800 others also translated to average of 30 Christian deaths per day and more than one per hour.

“Estimated 35 christians are also calculated to have been abducted daily and roughly two others per hour, in the said past 220 days or seven months and ten days of 2025.

“It said he spoke in the brutal and unchecked massacre of defenseless Christians in Nigeria is found to have been fueled by increasing number of Jihadist Islamic Terror groups making unchecked incursions into Nigeria particularly from 2017 and 2018, till date.

“These Jihadist Terror groups jointly operate under the leaderships of the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and their patrons as well as the “Alliance for Jihad in Nigeria” formed in June 2020 in Niger State.

“Recent decampment to the central ruling party by the opposition political parties and their public office holders, in addition to the predetermined outcomes of highly disputed Governorship polls in some States also seemed to have escalated Fulani-led jihadist attacks or emboldened them to lay siege against Christians in such States; with clear cases in point being Edo and Delta State which recently witnessed an upsurge in the massacre and abduction of defenseless rural Christian farmers, commuters and other travelers since the beginning of January 2025 till this day of August 10, 2025.

“From our gathered statistics, out of estimated 7,087 Christians massacred in the first 220 days of 2025, Benue State was the worst hit with no fewer than 1,100 deaths including the Yelewata massacre of June 13-14 2025, that led to death of 280 Christians (according to multiple credible sources) and the Sankera massacre of April 2025, during which more than 72 defenseless Christians were hacked to death.

“Plateau State came second with estimated 806 deaths including more than 300 defenseless Christians massacred in April 2025 alone; followed by Southern Kaduna with estimated 620 Christian deaths including dozens abducted and killed in captivity and over 40 confirmed killed in Kauru part of Southern Kaduna as well as hundreds of others killed in the past 220 days of 2025.

“Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna State are also facing Government embargo or censorship since late 2024, during which the victims of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen attacks were banned from reporting to the media, human rights groups and others against unchecked and untracked killings and abductions perpetrated by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits.

” The State also recorded the second largest number of abductions after Niger State, with estimated 800 including the December 2, 2024 abduction of 229 Christians by the Jihadists near Rijana Army Base in Kachia Local Government Area of the State.

” The Igbo Land South-East came fourth with estimated 615 Christian deaths fueled by an upsurge in rural Igbo area jihadists’ attacks and abductions and allied killings targeted at Southeasterners traveling within and outside the Region.

“Other States or zones severely hit by high defenseless Christians’ death tolls in the hands of the country’s Islamic terror jihadist groups are South-West with estimated 610 Christian deaths including killings recorded in Ondo (Akure North massacre in March 2025, killing more than 20 Christians) as well as an upsurge in killing and abduction of indigenous and non-indigenous commuters and inter-state travelers using Benin-Ore and Ore-Sagamu Highway, Lagos-Ibadan Highway and Lagos-Abuja Highway, etc.

” Niger State was also identified as one of the worst hit States with estimated 605 Christian deaths-where Christian populated Local Government Areas of Paikoro, Shiroro, Munya, Rafi, Kontagora and Suleja hinterland have been uprooted and almost overrun and wiped out with incessant abductions, killings, torture, disappearances, forced marriage, sexual harassment including child defilement, population displacement, forced migration and forced Islamic conversions.

“The State also recorded the highest number of anti-Christian abductions and killings in Northern Nigeria and presently serves as headquarters of the country’s “Alliance for Islamic Jihad in Nigeria”.

“An upsurge in Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits’ attacks including killings, abductions and disappearances targeted at indigenous farmers and non-indigenous travelers along major Highways and inter-State Roads in Kogi/Nasarawa also resulted in high Christian death of estimated 550; likewise Edo with 505 deaths.

” Borno State which recorded estimated 420 Christian deaths since January 2025 following incessant jihadist attacks by Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansarudeen, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits.

“Such attacks included the January 2025 coordinated attacks by Boko Haram in Borno Christian communities of Njila, Banzir, Shirkakir and Yirmirmug located in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State; sacking over 4000 Christians and killing dozens; during which hundreds of Christian homes and churches including Ekklesiyar Church (EYN) and other properties were destroyed or burned down.

“According to Senator Ali Ndume, “between 100 and 150 indigenes of Sabon Gari, Izge, Kirawa, Pulka, Damboa, Chibok and Askira Uba, among many of them are Christians from Borno South District were massacred by Boko Haram and ISWAP in the month of April 2025 alone.

“The Nigerian Military also accounted for no fewer than 410 Christian deaths, mostly in the South-East following indiscriminate abductions, killings and disappearances using false labeling, mass criminalization and ethno-religious profiling of Southeasterners since the beginning of January 2025.

“Taraba State accounted for estimated 320 Christian deaths including the May 23-25, 2025 massacre of no fewer than 70 Christians by Jihadist Herdsmen in Karim Lamido Local Government Area.

“The State also witnessed an upsurge in attacks targeted at non-indigenous travelers along the State’s major Highways including Benue-Wukari-Cameroon Highway.

“Delta State has also become a flashpoint for attacks by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen against indigenous Christian farmers and non-indigenous travelers using the State’s major Highways and has recorded no fewer than 216 Christian deaths.

“Since January. Others affected by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen attacks are: Katsina/Kebbi 200 Christian deaths, Rivers/Akwa Ibom/Bayelsa/Cross River 60 Christians deaths and Gombe/Bauchi 50 Christian deaths; totaling about 7,087.

” The above was derived from data collected from the affected communities and other sources including local and international media, human rights groups, and research organizations, religious and socio-cultural groups.

“The number of Christian abductees across the country was found to have swollen by an upsurge in the abduction of Southeasterners, Nigeria’s most traveled population and a handful of other non-Southeasterners.

“This explains why there was a surge in kidnapping cases in Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos-Abuja axis, Edo-Kogi axis, Enugu-Benue axis, Lokoja-Abaji/Abuja axis, Abuja-Nasarawa-Plateau axis, Benue-Taraba-Cameroon axis, Kaduna-Abuja axis, Abakiliki-Kogi axis, Suleja-Abuja axis, and several parts of South-East roads within the zone.

“The above is to the extent that Niger State has become the worst hit with estimated 1000 abductions since the beginning of January 2025, followed by Southern Kaduna with estimated 800 abductions including abduction of 229 Christians on December 2, 2024 in Rijana in Kachia part of Southern Kaduna, very close to Rijana Army Base.

Kaduna State also recorded the abduction of fewer than 150 other Christians between January and April 2025 in Kauru including over 50 members of ECWA Church still being held. In the State, too, eight, out of the 229 defenseless Christians abducted in Kachia were freed on Feb 23, 2025 after paying total ransoms of N40m.

“It was shocking to note that as of May 2025, the safety and whereabouts of the remaining 221 Kachia abductees remained untraced, un-located and unaccounted for.

” Plateau State also recorded estimated 600 abductions, followed by Kogi/Nasarawa 600, Borno/Yobe/Adamawa 600, Benue 500, Kastina/Kebbi 500, Edo 400, Taraba 400, Benue 400, Nigerian Military 400, Delta 150, Rivers/Akwa Ibom/Cross River/Bayelsa 120 and Gombe/Bauchi 110.

“Totaling about 7,800 in 220 days of this 2025. Estimated 800 Christian Southeasterners suffered Highway abductions in the hands of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and allied others since the beginning of January 2025, out of which estimated 500 took place outside Igbo Land South-East.

“Among them were the reported abduction on March 16, 2025 of all passengers boarding an ABC Luxury Bus (Coach) in Oloma, located in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

“There was also June 20, 2025 abduction of 18 passengers of a commercial bus along Otukpo-Otukpa Federal Road in Benue State at Eke-Okpokwu ancestral Igbo part of the State.

It said “There was again July 26, 2026 abduction of 11 passengers including eight indigenes of the South-East including six Anambra Lawyers, abducted along Benue-Wukari-Cameroon Road in Taraba State.

Against the backdrop of the weighty accusation, the group in it’s executive summary stressed the the need to ,”designate Nigeria as “a Country of Particular Concern and Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits as Entities of Particular Concern “,

“Particularly by Government of the United States under President Donald Trump and similar punitive measures by EU, UK and Canadian leaders is not only belated and long overdue, but all the first class Fulani Muslim Emirs and top Islamic clerics and leaders including those of the MACABAN must be banned from traveling to Religious Freedom respecter countries including US, Canada, UK, France, Germany and other members of the European Union.

“It was also reported by the Guardian Newspaper of August 8, 2025 about the abduction of 9 Igbo passengers that boarded a Peace mass transit bus, abducted along Itobe-Anyigba Road at the Ogbabo Junction in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. These are just to mention but a few.