Alleged Christmas Day Terror Plot in Northern Nigeria Causes Apprehension as DSS Says It’s Taking Action
A United States–based humanitarian organisation has sounded an urgent warning about a purported plan by extremist groups to carry out coordinated attacks in several communities across northern and central Nigeria during the upcoming Christmas celebrations.
The alert has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerian authorities, with the presidency questioning its credibility and urging calm.
The organisation behind the warning, **Equipping The Persecuted**, raised its concerns at a roundtable meeting held in Washington, D.C. The event featured participation from former and current U.S. lawmakers as well as members of advocacy groups focused on international religious freedom.
At the session, the group’s founder **Judd Saul** said credible information pointed to armed networks regrouping and preparing for violence in specific flashpoints along borders shared by **Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Kaduna states**. He alleged that these armed factions were stockpiling weapons and planning strikes in locales including **Riyom, Bokkos, Kafanchan and Agatu** on **December 25**. According to him, such operations could lead to large-scale deaths, especially among predominantly Christian populations.
Saul appealed directly to both Nigerian authorities and U.S. policymakers to intervene swiftly to avert what he described as a potential “massacre” during a significant religious festival.
He also claimed the information had been formally shared with U.S. government officials and was expected to be reported to the White House.
In Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed it had received intelligence about possible planned violence and stated that security agencies were already intensifying surveillance and preventive operations nationwide.
A senior DSS official in Abuja told journalists that spikes in unrest often occur during festive periods and that measures had been heightened to safeguard vulnerable communities.
Despite acknowledging awareness of the intelligence, the **presidency** dismissed the alarm as unsubstantiated and potentially fear-inducing. **Temitope Ajayi**, Senior Special Assistant to President **Bola Tinubu** on Media and Publicity, said Nigerians should be cautious about taking external reports at face value, warning they could fuel panic or create false impressions of insecurity.
He reiterated that security forces, including the military and police, were working diligently to ensure a peaceful holiday season.
The alert comes amid a backdrop of recurring violence in parts of central Nigeria in recent years, where attacks have targeted rural villages, particularly during holiday periods, resulting in significant loss of life and displacement. Authorities at all levels are now under pressure to reassure the public and demonstrate their capacity to prevent any threats to civilian safety as Christmas approaches.
