The latest report released by the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) indicates that Nigeria has maintained its position as the third most impacted country in the world by terrorism.
Afghanistan ranks as the most terrorised country while Iraq comes in the second position.
Syria, Somalia, and Yemen are ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively.
According to the report, the number of deaths attributed to Boko Haram in Nigeria increased by 25 percent from 2018 to 2019.
It made reference to the deadliest terrorist attack in 2019 when assailants attacked a funeral in Badu, Borno State.
The GTI report which further noted that Nigeria recorded a fall in violent death toll in 2019, attributed the statistics to a reduction in terrorism fatalities.
“Nigeria had the second largest fall in total deaths, owing largely to a 72 percent reduction in fatalities attributed to Fulani extremists,” the report stated.
“Despite this decrease, the number of deaths attributed to Boko Haram increased by 25 percent from 2018 to 2019.”
The report went on to reveal that 2,043 people died from “terrorism-related acts” in Nigeria in 2018 but only 1,245 deaths were recorded in 2019.
“In the overall, deaths from terrorism world over fell by 15.5 while fatalities arising from terrorism in Nigeria are now 83 per cent lower than at their peak in 2014,” the report stated.
GTI however noted that Nigeria is still vulnerable to more attacks as “renewed activity by Boko Haram in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger, remains a substantial threat to the region.”
“In 2019, Boko Haram carried out 11 suicide bombings causing 68 fatalities. Suicide bombings accounted for 6% of all terror-related incidents by Boko Haram in 2019, marking an 89% decline from their peak in 2017,” it report stated.
“At least 70 people were killed and 10 others were wounded in the attack and ensuing clash. The two main factions of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) and the followers of Abubakar Shekau, are both engaged in an insurgency campaign against the Nigerian government.”
According to the report, violence by the two main factions of Boko Haram has taken a large toll on the civilian population, particularly in the northeast.
It said the continued attacks have internally displaced more than two million people and caused a further 240,000 Nigerian refugees to flee to neighbouring countries.
