List of States in Nigeria Where Bandits Are Planning to Kill People on Christmas Day Mentioned
- A humanitarian group has warned of a planned Christmas Day massacre in northern Nigerian communities
- Equipping The Persecuted said terrorists were regrouping across Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Kaduna borders
- Security agencies confirmed they had intelligence on the threat and preventive measures were underway
A humanitarian organisation, Equipping The Persecuted, has raised alarm over what it described as a plot to carry out deadly attacks in northern Nigerian communities on Christmas Day.
The founder of the organisation, Judd Saul, issued the warning during a roundtable meeting convened by the International Committee on Nigeria and the African Jewish Alliance. The meeting, held on December 8 in Washington DC, United States, was chaired by former congressman Frank Wolf.
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According to PUNCH, the gathering was attended by Congressmen Riley Moore and Chris Smith, Senator James Lankford, members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and a Nigerian delegation.
Terrorists regrouping for Christmas Day attacks
Saul told participants that terrorists had begun regrouping for the planned attacks. He said:
“They are gathering forces around the Plateau and Nasarawa border, along the Nasarawa-Benue border and along the Nasarawa-Kaduna border. They are planning to hit on Christmas Day in Riyom, Bokkos, Kafanchan and Agatu.
“We got very reliable information that they are weaponising for a Christmas Day massacre. I am imploring the Nigerian government and President Donald Trump to do something so we don’t have a bunch of dead Christians in Nigeria.”
US officials briefed on Nigeria insecurity
Sources close to the US government confirmed that Saul had officially communicated the intelligence to Washington through Congressman Riley Moore. One source said:
“All the congressmen at the meeting have been to Nigeria many times. They’ve been involved in this matter since (Bill) Clinton was president. They classified the attackers mostly as terrorists and jihadists. Saul has officially notified the US through Riley, who will be filing a report to President Trump on it.”
It was learnt that after Saul’s presentation, a closed-door session was held for further deliberations, though details of the discussions were not disclosed.
DSS confirms intelligence on planned attacks
In Abuja, a senior officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the agency was aware of the planned attacks and had commenced preventive measures. “The service is aware; we have the intelligence report and we are already working on it,” the officer said.
Another operative explained that the DSS had intensified intelligence-gathering nationwide.
He stated:
“We know the trend of attacks in those areas. I was in Kaduna for over two years, and I can tell you that these people (bandits) have a pattern. We (DSS) have always provided intelligence. The intelligence report by the US NGO may be correct, because communities in the Middle Belt have always come under attack during festive periods. But I am sure the service would also have got wind of any planned attack by the bandits, and preventive measures would have been put in place.”
Recent attacks in Plateau, Benue and Kaduna
Riyom and Bokkos in Plateau State have suffered repeated bandit attacks in 2025. On October 31, bandits attacked the Kwi community in Riyom, killing at least six people. A major assault followed at Jebu village in Tahoss District, where at least 32 villagers, including women and infants, were killed.
Between June 19 and 21, gunmen invaded Juwan and Manja communities in Bokkos and neighbouring Mangu local government areas, killing about 13 people. Reports indicated that many attacks in these areas remain unreported.
In Benue State, Agatu Local Government Area witnessed deadly raids this year. On June 1, at least 28 people were killed in Edikwu Ankpali and Opaha communities. Earlier in November, a pastor was killed and three others kidnapped at Anwule village near the Agatu and Ohimini border.
Southern Kaduna also came under attack last month when suspected Fulani herdsmen raided Chawai communities near Kafanchan, killing an undisclosed number of people and displacing many others.
Ongoing concerns over insecurity
The warnings by Equipping The Persecuted and confirmation by the DSS highlighted growing fears of coordinated attacks during the festive season. The roundtable in Washington DC formed part of wider international efforts to address insecurity in Nigeria and the alleged targeting of Christian communities.
Security agencies in Nigeria have assured that preventive measures are underway, but the humanitarian organisation urged both Nigerian authorities and international partners to act swiftly to avert what it described as a looming tragedy.
Source: Facebook
21 persons, 6 BDCs designated as terrorism financiers in Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that In 2024, the Federal Government of Nigeria released a list of 21 individuals and six Bureau de Change (BDC) entities designated as terrorism financiers.
The publication, made available through the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) website, followed years of pressure from security experts, civil society organisations, and citizens demanding transparency in the country’s fight against terrorism.
Source: Legit.ng
