For many Nigerian communities, the Christmas season, a time meant for peace and celebration, has been repeatedly shattered by violence. Armed groups, including bandits, insurgents, and militia, have exploited the festive period to launch devastating attacks, leaving trails of death and destruction and exposing deep security vulnerabilities.
Recent Bloodshed: Benue and Plateau Bear the Brunt
The grim pattern continued into recent years. In 2024, on Christmas Day, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen and Jukum militia attacked communities in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state. According to a report by ThisDay, the assault claimed the lives of 11 persons. The attackers struck shortly after residents returned from church services and were preparing for celebrations, firing sporadically and chasing people from their homes.
The previous year witnessed an even more horrific scale of violence. In 2023, Amnesty International reported that more than 190 people were killed in Christmas Eve attacks across Plateau state. The violence spanned over 20 villages in Bokkos and parts of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area over a 48-hour period. Gunmen moved from one community to another, killing indiscriminately and destroying property. Amnesty International condemned the "inexcusable security lapses" that allowed the massacre to unfold.
A Persistent Threat in the Northeast
The northeastern region, long plagued by insurgency, has also seen Christmas targeted. In 2020, Boko Haram militants raided Pemi, a Christian village in Borno state, on Christmas Eve, killing at least 11 people. Local sources told AFP that fighters arrived on trucks and motorbikes, shooting indiscriminately and burning down a church.
This attack echoed a similar tragedy from the year before. In 2019, CNN reported that Boko Haram attacked the same Pemi village in Borno, killing seven people and abducting another seven, including a pastor. The militants also burned down a church, a dispensary, and several houses. Pemi lies just 20 kilometres from Chibok, the site of the infamous 2014 schoolgirl kidnappings.
Warnings and the Call for Action
The history of these attacks casts a long shadow over upcoming festivities. Humanitarian organizations have raised alarms about continued threats. Equipping The Persecuted, during a roundtable in Washington DC in December, warned of an alleged plot to launch deadly attacks on northern Nigerian communities during Christmas Day.
These repeated incidents underscore a chronic failure to protect vulnerable rural populations during festive periods. They highlight the urgent need for proactive intelligence, robust security deployments, and a strategic response to dismantle the networks behind these seasonal atrocities. The collective memory of loss in Benue, Plateau, Borno, and Adamawa states serves as a somber reminder of the work that remains to be done.
