Nigeria has been ranked sixth in the 2022 global terrorism
index (GTI).
The latest ranking comes as an improvement as Nigeria
dropped two places from the fourth position — a position it had been since
2017.
In the GTI, published by the Institute for Economics &
Peace (IEP), an independent and non-profit think tank, Nigeria, Syria and
Somalia were the only countries among the 10 most impacted by terrorism to
record an improvement in score from 2020 to 2021.
The GTI also showed that law enforcement, including police
and prison officers overtook both military and civilians as the most targeted
group of 2021.
These attacks, the report said, were largely driven by a
surge in clashes between law enforcement and “separatist groups, such as the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)”.
According to the report, the death of Abubakar Shekau,
leader of Boko Haram, and efforts of the government are factors that led to the
decline of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
“Total deaths from terrorism in Nigeria fell to 448 in 2021,
the lowest level since 2011,” the report reads.
“Terror-related
casualties dropped by almost half compared with the previous year. However, the
number of terrorist attacks increased by 49 per cent between 2020 and 2021. 36
percent of attacks were claimed by ISWA, Boko Haram being responsible for eight
per cent and 44 percent not attributed to any group.
“In 2020, ISWA became the deadliest terrorist group in
Nigeria. The decline of Boko Haram continued into 2021, with Boko Haram
responsible for only 69 deaths, a decrease of 77 percent from the previous
year. This is the lowest number of deaths by the group for a decade. Boko
Haram’s decline has resulted in a substantial improvement in terrorism in Borno
State, which experienced a decrease of 71 percent in terrorism deaths when
compared with the prior year.
“Attacks in the state also decreased from 121 to 86
respectively, a decrease of 30 per cent. The state, however, remains the
hardest hit region in Nigeria for terrorism, accounting for half of all
terror-related deaths in 2021. Boko Haram’s decline coincides with a number of
factors, most significantly the death of the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau.
Shekau, who committed suicide by detonating an explosives vest during a
confrontation with ISWA in May 2021.
“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.”
These external pressures, according to the report, resulted
in a rise in Boko Haram attacks in neighbouring countries, particularly Cameroon
which recorded 37 attacks and 58 deaths in 2021.
The Nigerian military has continued to launch offensives
against the insurgents in the north-east.
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