Fears of a widening campaign of targeted attacks against Christians in Nigeria intensified following two separate but troubling incidents in Plateau and Adamawa states, involving deadly violence and alleged threats of forced religious conversion.
In Plateau State, at least nine people were killed during a crossover night attack on Chigwi village, located in the Vwang District of Jos South Local Government Area. The attack occurred late on December 31, as residents were welcoming the New Year, many of them returning from or attending church services. Community leaders said the victims were unarmed civilians, and described the assault as sudden and coordinated, plunging the community into mourning at the start of 2026.
The Chigwi attack adds to a long list of violent incidents affecting communities in Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bassa, and Bokkos LGAs, areas that have repeatedly experienced deadly raids over the years.
Meanwhile, in Adamawa State, Christian communities in parts of Madagali and Michika Local Government Areas are reportedly living in fear following threats by ISWAP-linked terrorists. Church and local sources say suspected ISWAP elements warned residents of predominantly Christian settlements to convert, pay levies, or abandon their villages, raising alarm over what leaders describe as religious coercion through terror.
Although security agencies have not publicly detailed the threats, community representatives say the warnings were communicated after recent militant movements around rural settlements near the Adamawa–Borno axis, an area long affected by insurgency.
Reacting to the developments, leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said the Plateau killings and Adamawa threats should not be treated as isolated incidents. They urged the media to report events accurately and clearly, including naming affected communities and acknowledging the religious dimension of the attacks.
“When Christians are killed in Plateau and others are threatened with forced conversion in Adamawa, the truth must be told without dilution or euphemism,” a senior church leader said.
Human rights advocates warn that continued violence and intimidation could lead to mass displacement, deepened religious tension, and further loss of life if urgent security measures are not taken.
Christian groups and civil society organisations are now calling for immediate security reinforcement in affected areas, thorough investigations, and decisive action against armed groups threatening civilian populations.
As Nigeria enters the New Year, communities in Plateau and Adamawa say they are not only mourning and afraid, but also demanding that their suffering be recognized, accurately reported, and urgently addressed.
