Hours after President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria had been designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for ongoing violations of religious freedom, at least 17 Christians were killed in coordinated overnight assaults by suspected Islamic Fulani militias on the Plateau–Kaduna border.

In a fiery post on social media, Trump warned that the United States might halt all aid and could take direct action if the Nigerian government fails to stop what he described as “horrible atrocities” against Christians.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote. “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”

The attacks he referenced occurred late Friday, Oct. 31, across two neighboring communities: Kwi, a farming settlement in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state, and Damakasuwa, a border town that links Plateau and Kaduna states. Both areas sit along a volatile corridor that has witnessed repeated communal violence over the past decade.

Residents of Kwi village, located about 20 miles southwest of Jos, the Plateau state capital, reported that armed men believed to be Fulani herders surrounded the community shortly before midnight. According to survivors, the gunmen opened fire sporadically, targeting homes on the outskirts before moving toward the village center. By daybreak, 12 people were confirmed dead, and several others sustained gunshot wounds.

“It started suddenly; there was no argument, no warning,” said Nanzing Dalyop, a local farmer who escaped the attack. “We heard gunshots and people screaming. They were shouting in another language as they shot at anyone they saw.”
Community leaders described the raid as one of the deadliest in recent months. Many of the victims, they said, were women and children who had gathered for a night vigil ahead of the Sunday service.

A few hours later, a second assault took place about 15 miles away in Damakasuwa, a Christian-majority settlement straddling the Plateau–Kaduna boundary. Witnesses said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, firing into the air to create panic before shooting indiscriminately. The violence lasted for more than half an hour.

When the shooting stopped, five bodies were recovered, including that of Bala Rudeh, the respected youth leader of the Tsam ethnic group, also known as Chawai. Rudeh had been attending a local celebration organized by his community youth association.

According to residents, the event was meant to mark the successful re-election of another Chawai youth leader, Bala Baba Bulus, who had recently facilitated the creation of a joint security task force between the Rigwe people in Kaduna state and the Chawai community. What began as a peaceful evening of drums and dancing ended in bloodshed.

“They came when we were celebrating,” said a young man who identified himself as Joshua. “They shot our drummer first, then turned the drums of joy into drums of mourning.”

Rudeh was known for his advocacy on peace and rural security. Throughout the years, he had written multiple letters to local authorities urging stronger government intervention in the border communities repeatedly targeted by armed groups. His appeals went largely unanswered.

The Community Development Association (CDA) of Tsam Land issued a statement describing the night of the killings as “Black Friday.” The statement, signed by the CDA’s national public relations officer, Comrade Yohanna Bishara, mourned the loss of Rudeh and others who died in the attack.

“Indeed, Tsam land is bleeding,” the statement read. “Our national youth leader, Mr. Bala Rudeh, was shot dead alongside six others, while several others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment. We call on security agencies to intervene and prevent further occurrences.”

Residents said the bodies of the victims were buried the following morning amid tears and prayers. Many families fled to nearby villages, fearing a repeat attack.

As of press time, neither the Plateau nor the Kaduna state governments had issued an official statement on the incident. Calls and text messages sent to both state police commands went unanswered.

International Christian Concern (ICC) condemned the killings, calling them “part of a deeply rooted campaign of violence targeting Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.”

“These are not random acts of violence,” an ICC field researcher told reporters. “Our team has documented a consistent pattern of targeted attacks on Christian villages, often at night, often unprovoked, and almost always met with silence or inadequate response from the authorities.”

The researcher added that ICC has recorded more than 4,000 Christian deaths in Nigeria in the past year alone, with the majority occurring in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and Niger states.

In recent years, Fulani militant groups — often armed with sophisticated weapons — have been accused of conducting assaults on rural Christian communities, leading to widespread displacement. The Nigerian government continues to describe many of the incidents as “farmer-herder clashes,” a label that locals and human rights observers argue downplays the religious and ethnic dimensions of the violence.

The twin attacks in Kwi and Damakasuwa fit a grim pattern of nocturnal raids that have devastated dozens of villages across Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Many survivors say they have lost faith in the ability of the government to protect them.

“I don’t know what to say anymore,” said Rahila Bako, whose husband was killed in Kwi. “Every time we bury our dead, we expect someone to speak for us, but nobody comes. We are tired of promises.”

Security analysts note that the Plateau–Kaduna border zone has become one of the most unstable regions in northern Nigeria, providing easy passage for armed groups and illicit weapons. Despite multiple military operations launched over the years, attacks continue with little sign of deterrence.

A local official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said residents had repeatedly warned security operatives about suspicious movements of armed men in the days leading up to the attack.

“We reported it, but no action was taken,” he said. “Now we are counting our dead again.”

Friday night’s assault is the fourth major attack on Christian communities in Plateau and Kaduna states in the past two months. Local observers say that while the violence has persisted for years, the scale and coordination of recent attacks suggest growing boldness among the assailants.

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