For eight years now, we have been tracking the evolution of political violence in Nigeria with the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST). While Boko Haram has always been a focus, we have collected data pertaining to police and military violence, and sectarian conflict. We have also recorded violent crime and kidnapping. Nevertheless, we are most frequently asked about the conflict in northeastern Nigeria.

I have an oped today in The International Herald Tribune on the Nigerian elections. I also think  U.S. outreach to northern Nigeria should include according Muhammadu Buhari the respect commensurate …

Has sectarian violence in the Middle Belt increased significantly in 2018? On December 20, 2018, we published year-to-date data. Below we publish data for the entire year of 2018. Based on an analysis of Nigeria Security Tracker data, the short answer to the first question is yes, violence has almost doubled since 2017.

Based on an analysis of Nigeria Security Tracker data, deaths from sectarian violence have almost doubled since 2017. The NST documented 1,949 deaths through October 2018, compared to 1,041 sectarian-related deaths in all of 2017. Violence is about even with Boko Haram, in terms of the number of conflict-related victims. Deaths related to the Boko Haram conflict through October 2018 are roughly 1,900.

This is a guest post by Asch Harwood. Asch is the Council on Foreign Relations Africa program research associate. The Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy have released their 2012 Failed States Index. …