By Parrot Newspaper 
Nigeria Ranks Sixth in Global Terrorism Index: A Troubling Trend
565 Killed in 2024 Amid Rising Insecurity
Nigeria has climbed to sixth place in the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) with a score of 7.658, reflecting a worrying increase in terrorism-related deaths and activities. This marks a sharp rise from its previous ranking of eighth in 2023 and 2024, reinforcing concerns about escalating insecurity despite counterterrorism efforts.
The latest GTI report, released on March 5, 2025, places Burkina Faso at the top of the list, followed by Pakistan, Syria, Mali, and Niger. Nigeria’s position ahead of Somalia, Israel, Afghanistan, and Cameroon highlights the persistent threat of terrorism within its borders.
According to the report, Nigeria recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths in 2024, a significant increase from the 533 fatalities reported in 2023. This upward trend marks a disturbing reversal of previous security gains.
A Decade of Rising and Falling Terrorism in Nigeria
While the global terrorism landscape has seen an overall decline in deaths since its peak in 2015, Nigeria’s situation remains fluid. The country recorded its highest-ever terrorism fatalities in 2014, with 2,101 deaths, mainly attributed to Boko Haram’s insurgency. Since then, fatalities dropped significantly, reaching their lowest level in 2022 with 392 deaths.
However, the resurgence of terrorist activities in recent years suggests a fragile security situation. The 34% increase in fatalities from 2022 to 2023, followed by a further rise in 2024, signals a dangerous trajectory.
IS-Sahel Expands Operations in Nigeria
One of the key drivers of Nigeria’s worsening security is the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel (IS-Sahel), a terrorist faction active in the Liptako-Gourma region (the tri-border area of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger). The report reveals that IS-Sahel has extended its operations to Algeria, Benin, and Nigeria.
In 2024, the group carried out:
16 attacks in Nigeria
12 attacks in Niger
6 attacks in Mali
1 attack in Burkina Faso
This expansion underscores the growing influence of extremist groups across West Africa and the porous nature of Nigeria’s borders.
Terrorism in the Sahel: A Regional Crisis
The report highlights the Sahel region as the epicenter of global terrorism, accounting for 51% of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024—a nearly tenfold increase since 2019. The region saw over 25,000 conflict-related deaths, with 3,885 directly linked to terrorism.
While Burkina Faso remains the most affected country, accounting for one-fifth of all terrorism deaths globally, there are indications that the crisis is shifting toward Niger and Nigeria.
For instance, Niger recorded the largest increase in terrorism-related deaths globally in 2024, surging by 94% to 930 fatalities. The report warns that this trend could extend to neighboring countries, including Nigeria, if preventive measures are not reinforced.
More Countries Experience Terrorism, Global Patterns Shift
A worrying global trend is the increase in the number of affected countries. The GTI report states that the number of nations experiencing at least one terrorist attack rose from 58 to 66 in 2024, marking the highest figure since 2018.
Additionally, for the first time in seven years, more countries reported a worsening terrorism impact (45 nations) than those showing improvements (34 nations).
What This Means for Nigeria
Despite years of counterterrorism operations, the resurgence of terrorist activities in Nigeria suggests that security efforts are not yielding lasting results. Factors such as:
Persistent banditry and insurgency in the North
Expansion of IS-Sahel and other extremist groups
Weak border control and intelligence failures
Limited coordination among security agencies
…continue to fuel insecurity.
Experts warn that if Nigeria does not implement a more robust and intelligence-driven counterterrorism strategy, its ranking in the Global Terrorism Index may worsen, further destabilizing the nation.
The Way Forward
Security analysts suggest the following measures to curb terrorism:
1. Strengthened Border Security: Closing gaps that allow terrorists to infiltrate from neighboring countries.
2. Intelligence-Driven Operations: Enhancing surveillance and information-sharing among security agencies.
3. Community Engagement: Strengthening local resistance against radicalization and terrorist recruitment.
4. Economic Development in Vulnerable Areas: Addressing poverty and unemployment to reduce incentives for extremism.
5. International Collaboration: Partnering with regional and global security agencies to dismantle terror networks.
With the 2027 presidential election approaching, Nigeria’s security situation will be a major political issue. Whether the government can reverse the trend and restore stability remains a critical question.
Parrot Newspaper will continue to monitor and report on Nigeria’s security landscape as events unfold.