A senior United States envoy has reportedly acknowledged that the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria has claimed more Muslim lives than Christian ones, a statement that aligns with several findings and reports from Nigerian and international observers.

The envoy’s remarks come amid renewed debate in Washington and Abuja over claims of religiously motivated killings in Nigeria’s northeast. The official noted that while Boko Haram continues to target both Christians and Muslims, data and field reports indicate that the majority of victims are Muslims living in the areas most affected by the group’s violence.

According to records from Nigerian authorities and independent monitors, the terror group and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have killed tens of thousands of civilians over the years, with Muslim communities in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states suffering the highest casualties.

Reports by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) estimate that over 32,000 Muslims have been killed by terrorists within the last three years, compared to around 5,500 Christian victims in the same period. Former President Muhammadu Buhari had also stated that about 90 percent of Boko Haram’s victims are Muslims, a claim supported by data from regional security agencies.

While acknowledging that Christians have suffered devastating attacks, particularly in minority communities, the envoy emphasized that Boko Haram’s campaign has primarily affected the Muslim-majority northeast, where most of the insurgents’ operations take place.

Both Muslim and Christian leaders in Nigeria have repeatedly urged international observers to avoid framing the crisis as purely religious, warning that it risks distorting the complex political, ethnic, and economic factors driving the violence.

The envoy’s statement is expected to reshape ongoing discussions between the United States and Nigeria on security cooperation, counterterrorism efforts, and humanitarian support for communities affected by insurgency.