Why Has FEM Emerged as the Deadliest Group?
Security expert Steven Kefas reveals that Fulani Ethnic Militias (FEM) were responsible for 47 per cent of all civilian fatalities in Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2024, according to preliminary data from the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA).
That equates to 36,056 deaths—more than five times the combined toll of Boko Haram and ISWAP over the same period.
Kefas argues that the militias’ “systematic, low‑profile campaigns” of abductions, killings, sexual violence and arson have flown under the radar of global monitors, mis‑categorised as mere communal unrest rather than terrorism.
“Without recognition as terrorism, there’s little hope for resources, accountability or justice,” he warns.
What Are the Latest Atrocities?
Yelwata Massacre (13–14 June 2025): Eyewitnesses report at least 150–218 civilians—mostly women and children—murdered in coordinated raids on IDP camps in Guma LGA, Benue State.
Charred bodies and burnt shelters bore witness to the slaughter, which lasted hours as security forces failed to intervene promptly.
Agatu Killings (February 2016): In one of the earliest high‑profile attacks, Fulani herdsmen allegedly massacred up to 500 residents of Agatu, Benue State, leaving entire villages desolate.
The ECOWAS Court later indicted the Nigerian government for failing to protect its citizens, citing over 1,000 killings across Benue communities by marauding militias.
How Does FEM Compare with Boko Haram?
Despite international focus on jihadist violence, data show Boko Haram’s toll pales in comparison:
Boko Haram† (2009–2024): Responsible for approximately 35,000 civilian deaths and displacing over 2 million people in northeast Nigeria.
FEM† (2019–2024): Nearly 36,056 killings, with 29,180 abductions and 3.4 million newly displaced—mostly from the Middle Belt—according to ORFA.
The 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) ranks Nigeria sixth worldwide for terrorism impact, recording 565 fatalities in 2024, yet makes no mention of the FEM, focusing instead on IS‑Sahel incursions.
What Drives the Silence?
Kefas contends that the GTI’s “spectacular jihadist violence” criterion excludes slow‑motion, cartel‑style ethnic cleansing.
In 79 per cent of FEM attacks, assailants target farming settlements at dawn or under cover of night, eroding local food production and plunging communities into economic despair.
Christian farmers, in particular, bear the brunt—seen both as competitors for land and as soft targets for intimidation.
How Can the International Community Respond?
Redefine Terrorism: Expand global indices to classify systematic militia violence as terrorism, thereby unlocking international aid and counter‑terrorism funding.
Deploy Targeted Sanctions: Freeze assets and sanction militia financiers, following Nigeria’s lead in acting against known jihadist bankers.
Strengthen Local Resilience: Support community‑based early‑warning and regulated ranching systems to mitigate the menace of open grazing.
Accountability Mechanisms: Back independent judicial panels—like the one BBFORPEACE has demanded for Yelwata—to investigate mass atrocities and prosecute perpetrators.
“In Agatu in 2016 and again in Yelwata in 2025, these militias targeted farming communities in their sleep,” Kefas asserts. “This isn’t random violence; it’s systematic ethnic cleansing aimed at reshaping demographic landscapes.”
The Stakes for Nigeria’s Future
As farmland across the Middle Belt is abandoned, national food security teeters on the brink. The loss of millions of hectares of crop land has driven up prices, stoked rural poverty and fuelled urban migration.
Yet, as long as FEM remains in the shadows of global counter‑terrorism narratives, Nigeria’s most afflicted regions will continue to receive a fraction of the support they sorely need.
“These are fathers, mothers, children whose lives were cut short while the world’s gaze remained elsewhere,” Kefas laments. “Terrorism is not only the flash of a bomb, but the silent erasure of entire communities.”
Unless global institutions expand their understanding of terrorism to encompass slow‑burn ethnic violence, the bloodshed in Nigeria’s heartland will persist—and history may judge the international community harshly for its indifference.
