WARNING! Terrorists Planning Christmas Massacre In 3 Nigerian States

Terrorists in Nigeria are planning a “Christmas massacre” in Plateau, Benue, and Kaduna, a humanitarian organisation, Equipping The Persecuted, has said.

The Presidency, in a swift reaction, questioned the motive of the group, saying the alert was doubtful and could create unnecessary fear among Nigerians.

The founder of the organisation, Judd Saul, spoke during a roundtable meeting convened by the International Committee on Nigeria and the African Jewish Alliance.

The meeting, which was held on Wednesday in Washington DC, United States, was chaired by a former congressman, Frank Wolf.

Saturday, PUNCH gathered that the meeting was also attended by Congressmen Riley Moore and Chris Smith, Senator James Lankford, and members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, alongside some Nigerian delegation.

Saul said terrorists had started 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, Kafancha,n 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.”

PUNCH correspondents gathered that the meeting was among a series of deliberations to resolve the insecurity in Nigeria and address concerns of the alleged killing of Christians.

A source close to the US government told Saturday PUNCH that Saul had officially communicated the said report his organisation got to the government through Moore.

“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,” the source said.

It was also learnt that after the meeting where Saul spoke, a separate closed-door meeting was held where further deliberation took place.

Discussions at this meeting were not disclosed.

A senior officer of the Department of State Services in Abuja confirmed that the agency was aware of the planned attacks on Christmas Day and had commenced preventive measures.

“The service is aware; we have the intelligence report and we are already working on it,” the officer stated in a short conversation with Saturday PUNCH on Friday.

Another operative of the secret service said the DSS had intensified its intelligence-gathering efforts nationwide.

“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,” he said.

Also, earlier last month, suspected Fulani herdsmen reportedly raided Chawai communities near Kafanchan in Southern Kaduna, killing an undisclosed number of people and displacing many others.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, did not take his calls or respond to a text message on the alleged plot.

The Director, Defence Media Operation, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.

Also, efforts to get responses from the Kaduna, Plateau, and Benue police commands proved abortive.

According to Punch correspondent, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, promised to get back, but never did as of press time, while spokespeople for other states did not take their calls, which rang out.

However, a senior official who doesn’t want his name in print because he was not permitted to speak to the press, promised that necessary action would be taken to avert the attacks.

He said, “We will intensify surveillance for early warning and continue to deepen our intelligence penetration. However, there is no specific detailed Intel at this end.”

Reacting, the Presidency dismissed the alert, saying the group’s claims are capable of creating unnecessary fear.

Responding to an enquiry from Saturday PUNCH, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Mr Temitope Ajayi, said the public should be cautious about circulating reports from external groups without verifying their intentions.

He said, “We should be very careful how we digest and process some of these doubtful reports by external organisations who are setting a stage for an internal crisis in our country.

We should not be providing oxygen for reports that heighten a sense of insecurity in our country.”

Questioning the intention behind the alert, Ajayi added, “What is the motive and agenda of this organisation in raising this kind of alarm about a likely terror attack in the three states and on Christmas Day?”

He, however, assured Nigerians that security agencies were fully prepared to prevent any threat.

“Whatever the motive is, our security forces are capable of foiling any terror attack and keeping us safe,” he said.

“Nigerians should not entertain any fear in any part of the country. The police and the military are working to ensure we have a peaceful Christmas and Yuletide season.”

The Middle Belt Forum said while it had yet to receive such information formally, there were strong indications that the claim was not far from the truth.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the MBF President, Dr Bitrus Pogu, said the forum received a similar intelligence report three weeks before the Yelwata attack and promptly alerted the relevant authorities.

“Before the Fulani militia attacked the Yelwata community, we had already known that the attack would happen three weeks before. So, Intel may not be far from the truth.

“But we still have a government in place, which hasn’t told us it has failed. So, the government will be alerted for them to do the needful and ensure that vulnerable communities in the state, especially those dominated by Christians, are adequately protected for Christmas,” Pogu said.

He added, “Officially, it has to be on record that the government is aware of such a mischievous plan to attack, kill, maim, and displace people from their ancestral land, which has been the practice over the years. So, as soon as we get the Intel, we will notify those in government.”

Similarly, spokesperson for the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union, Josiah Abraks, said communities in the region often come under bandit attacks during festive periods.

“I am not fully aware of that information. But the southern parts of Kaduna have always been attacked during the Yuletide. Bandits attack communities in the area on Christmas Day,” Abraks said.

“We just have to plead with the security agencies to ensure that security operatives are mounted in strategic areas across the state during the festive period.

“Secondly, we will implore our communities to mount surveillance and report any strange movement of unknown persons in their areas to the appropriate authorities,” he added.

Source: PUNCH