The Counter-terrorism efforts of the Nigerian Government have seen the nation moved to sixth in the latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI), an improvement from the fourth position it was since 2017.
The GTI report, which is in its ninth edition, tracks terrorism incidents across the world.
In the report, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), an independent and non-profit think tank, total deaths from terrorism in Nigeria fell to 448 in 2021, the lowest level since 2011.
It went on to note that “terror-related casualties dropped by almost half compared with the previous year (2020).
“However, the number of terrorist attacks increased by 49 per cent between 2020 and 2021. 36 percent of attacks were claimed by Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) with Boko Haram being responsible for eight per cent and 44 percent not attributed to any group.”
The report which attributed Nigeria's latest improved ranking to counter-terrorism efforts of the Nigerian government and foreign military forces, added that the death of Boko Haram's leader, Abubakar Shekau and decimation of the jihadist group by rivals - ISWA was a contributory factor.
Boko Haram, for more than a decade, has been waging an armed insurgency against Nigeria, especially in the country’s North-east region, leading to loss of thousands of lives.
“Given the demise of their leader, Shekau’s followers were faced with the decision to either continue Shekau’s ideology or join ISWA. It has been reported that as many as former Boko Haram commanders have joined ISWA after Shekau’s death. Attacks by ISWA as well as counter-terrorism efforts by the Nigerian government and foreign military forces have significantly weakened Boko Haram’s impact in Nigeria.”
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The GTI report attributed the increase in attacks on police and other security agencies in Nigeria to clashes between law enforcement and the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
On other major non-jihadist terror incidents, the GTI report said attacks perpetrated by secessionist group IPOB accounted for over a third of all attacks in Nigeria in 2021.
However, attacks on other law enforcement agents such as policemen and prison officer witnessed a significant rise, increasing from one attack in 2020 to 76 in 2021.
“Law enforcement, including police and prison officers overtook both military and civilians as the most targeted group of 2021. Attacks against police and prisons increased substantially from one recorded attack in 2020 to 75 in 2021, accounting for over a third of all attacks in Nigeria in 2021.
“This was largely driven by an increase in clashes between law enforcement and separatist groups, such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).”
IPOB, an outlawed group, is leading the agitation for the creation of an independent state, Biafra, to be carved out from Nigeria’s South-east and parts of the South-south.
The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu has been detained in Abuja where he is standing trial for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism.
