A humanitarian organization, Equipping the Persecuted, has raised an alarm over an alleged plot by terrorists to carry out coordinated attacks on communities in parts of northern Nigeria on Christmas Day.
The warning was issued by the group’s founder, Judd Saul, during a roundtable meeting organised by the International Committee on Nigeria and the African Jewish Alliance, held on Wednesday in Washington, DC, United States.
The meeting was chaired by former US congressman Frank Wolf and attended by serving US lawmakers, members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and a Nigerian delegation.
Saul claimed that armed groups were regrouping along the Plateau–Nasarawa, Nasarawa–Benue and Nasarawa–Kaduna borders, with plans to strike communities in Riyom, Bokkos, Kafanchan and Agatu on Christmas Day.
According to him, the organisation received what he described as reliable intelligence indicating that the attackers were rearming for a large-scale assault during the festive period.
He urged both the Nigerian government and the United States to intervene to prevent what he warned could be a massacre.
Sources familiar with the meeting said the alert had been formally communicated to the US government through Congressman Riley Moore, who is expected to brief President Donald Trump.
A closed-door session reportedly followed the public meeting, although details of those discussions were not disclosed.
In Nigeria, a senior official of the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the agency was aware of the alleged plot and had already begun preventive actions.
Another DSS operative noted that communities in the Middle Belt often come under attack during festive periods, adding that intelligence gathering had been intensified nationwide.
Riyom and Bokkos local government areas of Plateau State have experienced repeated attacks in 2025, with dozens killed in separate incidents.
Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State has also recorded deadly assaults this year, including a June 1 attack in which at least 28 people were killed. Similar attacks were reported in parts of Southern Kaduna, particularly around Kafanchan.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Nigeria Police Force, the Defence Headquarters and police commands in affected states were unsuccessful as of press time.
However, a senior security official assured that surveillance and intelligence penetration were being strengthened to avert any possible attacks.
Reacting to the alert, the Presidency dismissed the claims, warning that such reports could fuel unnecessary fear. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, urged Nigerians to be cautious about unverified reports from external organisations.
Ajayi questioned the motive behind the alert and stressed that Nigeria’s security agencies were capable of preventing any threat. He assured citizens that adequate measures were in place to ensure a peaceful Christmas and Yuletide season across the country.
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) said while it had not received the information formally, past experiences suggested the warning should not be ignored.
Its President, Dr Bitrus Pogu, noted that similar intelligence had preceded previous attacks and called on the government to protect vulnerable communities, especially during the festive period.
Similarly, the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU) urged security agencies to deploy personnel to strategic locations and appealed to residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements.
Community leaders and civil society groups have continued to call for heightened security across flashpoints, as Nigerians prepare for Christmas celebrations amid lingering security concerns.
