Congo, Mar 20 Terrorism is declining globally — but that headline hides a harsher truth. In parts of Africa, particularly Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, violence is not just persisting — it is intensifying at an alarming rate.
According to the latest Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria recorded the sharpest rise in terrorism-related deaths worldwide in 2025, with fatalities jumping 46% from 513 to 750. This surge pushed the country to fourth place globally, behind Pakistan, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The numbers alone are bad. The reality on the ground is worse.
Nigeria is facing a layered security collapse. Extremist groups like Boko Haram and its splinter factions continue to expand operations, while armed bandits, ethnic militias, and emerging terror outfits add to the chaos. In February alone, 162 people were massacred in Kwara state — one of the deadliest attacks in recent years — exposing how vulnerable civilian populations remain.
The situation in eastern Congo is following a similar trajectory. Terror-related deaths rose nearly 28%, driven largely by the IS-linked Allied Democratic Forces. The region has become a hotspot for sustained insurgency, with attacks growing more coordinated and lethal.
This rise comes in stark contrast to global trends. Worldwide terrorism deaths dropped by 28% in 2025, and total attacks fell significantly. On paper, that suggests progress. In reality, it shows concentration — violence is shrinking geographically but becoming more intense in specific regions, particularly the Sahel and central Africa.
More than half of all global terrorism deaths now occur in the Sahel alone, effectively turning the region into the epicentre of global extremism. Groups are evolving tactically, shifting from random civilian attacks to more strategic strikes on military targets, using drones, coordinated assaults, and cross-border operations.
This isn’t random escalation — it’s adaptation. Terror groups are becoming more sophisticated, more calculated, and in some cases, more effective than the forces trying to stop them.
The uncomfortable truth is this: global averages are misleading. A drop in worldwide deaths doesn’t mean the threat is reducing — it means it’s concentrating. And in regions like Nigeria and Congo, that concentration is pushing already fragile systems toward breakdown.
If this trend continues, the global fight against terrorism isn’t being won — it’s just being relocated.