Nigeria - Christmas Eve Attack

Nigeria: Over 100 Killed in Christmas Eve Attacks

Please pray for Christians affected by brutal attacks in Plateau State, Nigeria.

On Christmas Eve, Islamic extremist gunmen killed at least 113 people in Christian-dominated villages in Plateau State, Nigeria. The well-coordinated attack started on 24 December and continued until the early hours of Christmas Day.

Monday Kassah, head of the local government in Bokkos in Plateau State, told the Agence France-Presse news agency more than 300 people were injured in the attack that targeted at least 20 communities across the region.

“These are all Christian-dominated villages,” explained Jo Newhouse, spokesperson for Open Doors operations in Sub-Saharan Africa, further stating, “Confirmation on the identities and motive of the attackers will be slow to come in. We can only go on what we know has been happening in this region over an extended period of time. We know that mostly Christian farming communities have been suffering attacks by Fulani extremists over many years now.”

While the blame for the attacks usually falls on issues like climate change, ethnicity, socio-economy or politics, Newhouse emphasises that the religious element to these attacks should not go unrecognised.

“There have been many defenceless Christians attacked without provocation,” she explains.

“It is tragic that many fellow Christians who were looking forward to a peaceful Christmas celebration with loved ones and their local congregations found themselves brutalised once again. Those who managed to escape the carnage with their lives are now uprooted, traumatised, and in mourning. We need to pray fervently for our brethren to experience the Lord’s abundant grace in the midst of these circumstances.”