During the Christmas 2023 holiday, a series of violent assaults shook Plateau State, Nigeria, resulting in a devastating impact on the Christian community.

Various reports have confirmed the death of nearly 200 individuals with numerous others injured.

The severity of these attacks has triggered concerns regarding religious and ethnic discord in the area.

On Christmas Eve night, armed attackers targeted Christian villages in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu counties.

As stated by the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Okoro Alawari, the assaults were extensive and well-orchestrated, involving heavy weaponry, indicating a calculated campaign against the Christian community.

Amnesty International Nigeria reported a total of 194 fatalities in Plateau State, including 148 in Bokkos, 27 in Barkin Ladi, and 19 in Mangu. The Nigerian Red Cross corroborated these figures, noting the significant impact on the affected communities, with over 32,000 people affected and nearly 30,000 displaced.

The International Christian Concern has included Nigeria in its annual Persecutors of the Year report for the last three years, underlining the persistent threat to Christians, particularly in the Middle Belt region. Over the past two decades, more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in this region, and millions have been displaced.

The global community, including human rights organizations and various religious groups, has denounced the attacks and called on the Nigerian government to take immediate and effective measures to safeguard all citizens.

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has ordered the mobilization of relief resources and instructed security agencies to investigate and apprehend those responsible for the attacks. Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto Diocese has urged President Tinubu to act promptly to protect the Nigerian people, emphasizing the government’s duty to address and prevent such violent acts.