By Pascal Ibe
Introduction
Amid the economic not-to-end soon crisis and Insecurity rocking Nigeria at the moment, an X user, @POGrassRootM, has made various claims that Nigeria has become after two years of Bola Tinubu as the country’s leader.
With this username, Peter Obi Grassroot Mobilization Movement, it may be not wrong to conclude that the X user is a staunch supporter of the 2023 Labour presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who’s currently a strong opposition in Nigeria.
The X user wrote, “Under 2 years of Bola Tinubu, Nigeria moved to
- 6th on the Terrorism Index in the world
- No 1 in Multidimensional Poverty
- Poverty Capital of the world
- Dangerous country to be a Christian
- Most indebted country N200 Trillion debt
- Most corrupt country in the world.
- Most insecure nation.
- Most divided nation
The post has already garnered 128k views and two more than 1.5k likes, according to X analytics.
Verifying these claims
CLAIM 1: 6th in Terrorism Index in the world
The latest GTI report, published by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) recently, is a compilation of 163 countries worldwide, which make up at least 99.7 percent of the world’s population. GTI evaluates indicators, including the number of terrorist incidents, casualties, injuries, and hostages, and their impact on terrorism.
Nigeria was ranked sixth in the Index, with a score of 7.658, moving up from eighth place in 2023 and 2024.
According to the 2025 report released on March 5, the country recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths in 2024, indicating an increase in fatalities over the previous two years.
“Globally, deaths from terrorism have declined by almost a third since the peak in 2015, with Iraq and Nigeria recording the largest decreases. Deaths in Nigeria peaked at 2,101 in 2014, before dropping to 392 in 2022, the lowest level since 2011. However, fatalities increased by 34 percent in 2023 to 533 and further to 565 in 2024.
The report stated the deadliest of the Nigerian attacks occurred on September 1, 2024, in Yobe State, when 100 people were killed in an armed assault by Boko Haram.
The attack was ranked the seventh-worst terrorist incident worldwide in 2024.
Another major attack took place on April 24, 2024, in Borno State, where 85 people lost their lives in an ISWAP-led armed attack, ranking it ninth globally.
Other attacks in Nigeria listed in the report include an ISWAP attack on September 1, 2024, in Yobe, which resulted in 37 deaths and was ranked 24th; a jihadist attack in Borno on May 26, 2024, that claimed 30 lives and was ranked 30th; and a bombing by an unidentified jihadist group on June 29, 2024, in Borno, which also killed 30 people and was ranked 33rd.
However, Nigeria’s military high command rejected the report.
Verdict
The claim that Nigeria was ranked sixth in the latest global terrorism Index is CORRECT.
CLAIM 2: Number one in Multidimensional Poverty
The latest Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report overlays violent conflict data with multidimensional poverty data to better understand their interlinkages across countries and over time. The Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) is the primary data source, but sensitivity analyses were also run using other key conflict datasets. The report finds that MPI values tend to be much higher in conflict-affected settings. In countries affected by protracted conflict, poverty reduction is reversed, stagnant, or slower.
According to the United Nations
Development Programme(UNDP), the update of the global MPI database includes new data from 20 countries. It presents MPI data from 112 countries covering 1,359 subnational regions. The results show that 1.1 billion of 6.3 billion people live in acute multidimensional poverty, over half of them children. Common deprivations include a lack of adequate housing, sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel, nutrition, and school attendance. Reaching the last mile to eliminate global poverty requires careful attention to people living in contexts of violent conflict.
The data disclosed that with 82.3% of its population living in extreme poverty, South Sudan stands at the tragic forefront of this global crisis. The nation has been plagued by years of civil war and political turmoil, which have left its economy in shambles. The impact of climate change on Sudan is profound, making it increasingly difficult for families to rely on agriculture. Families struggle daily to find food, and many children go to bed hungry. The water crisis in Sudan is also a pressing issue; many communities rely on unsafe sources, leading to health crises that compound their suffering. The desperate need for humanitarian aid is palpable, as countless organizations work tirelessly to provide life-saving assistance to those trapped in this cycle of despair.
Placed on the second, Somalia’s poverty rate of 76.8% paints a grim picture of a country long ravaged by conflict, drought, and famine. The relentless instability has destroyed livelihoods, leaving families homeless and in dire need of shelter. Mothers walk for miles to find water, often returning with little more than a few jerry cans, and children suffer from malnutrition as food becomes increasingly scarce. Top Humanitarian organizations are the lifeline for many, yet their challenges are immense. As the sun rises over the arid landscape daily, families cling to hope, hoping for a better tomorrow.
Nigeria was ranked third with a 70.7% poverty rate.
Verdict
The claim that Nigeria is the number one in Multidimensional Poverty in the world is FALSE.
CLAIM 3: Poverty Capital of the world
The World Poverty Clock is an online tool that monitors progress against poverty and provides real-time poverty data across countries. It is an initiative of the World Data Lab, a data enterprise that produces credible economic estimates.
In 2018, the WPC tagged Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world as about 87 million Nigerians fell into extreme poverty that year following shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, in 2022, India overtook Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world. India had 83 million, representing six percent of the country’s 1.3 billion population. That year, the WPC said the number of extremely poor Nigerians had reduced to 70 million.
In June 2023, the WPC reported that Nigeria’s extremely poor had risen to 71 million. However,t the National Bureau of Statistics classified 133 million Nigerians as multidimensionally poor, while the United Nations World Food Programme stated that a total of 24.8 million people,e or one out of eight Nigerians, experienced acute hunger.
In 2024, the WPC reported that about 70,834,207 out of a population of 225,731,260 Nigerians were battling extreme poverty. However, Nigeria is not among the top 10 countries with the highest poverty rate according to the 2024 ratings of the World Population Review.
Verdict
The claim that Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world is FALSE.
CLAIM 4: Dangerous country to be a Christian
Open Doors—a global ministry dedicated to serving persecuted believers—which has released its 2025 World Watch List revealed reveals the top 50 countries where Christians are most likely to face severe consequences for their faith, from the loss of homes and jobs to imprisonment and death.
Among the 10 worst persecutors of Christians, five were African countries: Somalia (2), Libya (4), Sudan (5), Eritrea (6) and Nigeria (7). Since 2000, Nigeria has seen the slaughter of an estimated 62,000 Christians at the hands of Islamist groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State of West Africa Province, and nomadic Fulani herdsmen, according to Genocide Watch. Observers are watching to see if the U.S. State Department re-designates Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”—a label that was removed in 2021
Verdict
The claim that Nigeria is a dangerous country to be a Christian is CORRECT.
CLAIM 5: Most indebted country
A recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Africa’s most indebted countries in 2025, Cabo Verde leads the list with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 107.21%. The island nation has faced economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased borrowing to support its economy.
Mozambique, with a ratio of 96.47%, continues to deal with the aftermath of a significant debt crisis that began in 2016. Despite efforts to restructure its debt, economic recovery remains hindered by both internal and external factors.
The Republic of Congo follows closely with an 89.04% ratio, primarily driven by its heavy reliance on oil exports. Fluctuating oil prices have posed challenges for the nation, necessitating diversification of its economy.
Malawi, at 82.28%, faces ongoing economic difficulties despite some progress in development. The country must navigate fiscal management while investing in essential sectors.
Mauritius, known for its financial services and tourism, has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 80.94%. The government is tasked with balancing economic growth and rising debt levels.
Senegal’s ratio stands at 80.48%, reflecting the need for effective fiscal policies to manage its growing debt while pursuing sustainable development.
Verdict
Checks have indicated that Nigeria is not among the top five most indebted countries in the world. Therefore, this claim is FALSE.
CLAIM 6: Most corrupt country in the world.
In February, Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption, ranked Nigeria as the 36th most corrupt country in the world.
Nigeria was joined by Uganda, Mexico, Madagascar, Iraq, and Cameroon in the same spot with a total score of 26 points
The list ranks Denmark as the least corrupt country with 90 points, Finland as second with 88 points, and Singapore as third with 84 points.
Cape Verde tops the list of least corrupt African countries despite being number 35 with 62 points.
South Sudan, Somalia, and Venezuela are the most corrupt countries in the world for the year in review.
Verdict
The claim that Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world is FALSE.
CLAIM 7: Most insecure nation
Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the report ranks 163 independent states and territories based on their level of peacefulness, covering 99.7% of the world’s population.
The report presented a 2024 Global Peace Index (GPI) score of 3.397; Yemen remains one of the world’s most hazardous nations, with its catastrophic civil conflict since 2015 causing immense suffering and turmoil.
Yemen is grappling with widespread famine, disease, and infrastructure collapse amid a prolonged state of war. What began as an internal conflict has escalated due to the involvement of neighboring countries, each backing different factions, prolonging and intensifying the destructive nature of the conflict.
Sudan is widely regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous countries, influenced by a variety of factors that severely affect its safety and stability.
Sudan’s instability stems primarily from the ongoing conflict in Darfur, alongside unrest in South Kordofan and Blue Nile districts. In 2024, these conflicts resulted in over 3,000 deaths and displaced nearly 2 million people, according to UN estimates. The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by frequent attacks on civilians by government forces, opposition groups, and militias.
Verdict
The claim that Nigeria is the most insecure nation, is FALSE.
CLAIM 8: Most divided nation.
This claim is not fact-checkable as it lacks proper clarity on any aspect. For instance, is Nigeria the most divided nation in the world based on political or ethnic groups? This was not properly stated in the eight claim by @POGrassRootM.
