…North Under Siege as US Missionary’s Stark Warning Echoes Over Region
By Abu Adamu
Nigeria’s northern region came under coordinated and devastating assault over the Easter weekend, as terrorists and bandits launched deadly attacks across multiple states, killing scores, abducting civilians, and destroying critical infrastructure in what appears to be a widening wave of violence.
From Jos to rural Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, and Borno, the pattern was chillingly consistent—heavily armed assailants, some in camouflage, striking vulnerable communities during religious observances and leaving carnage in their wake.
Benue: A Replay of Jos Horror
In Benue State, at least 17 persons were slaughtered in Mbalom community, Gwer East Local Government Area, in what residents described as a calculated and coordinated assault by suspected armed herders dressed in black camouflage.
The attack, which began late Saturday and lasted several hours, saw gunmen open fire on unsuspecting villagers celebrating Easter, burn homes, and force mass displacement.
The method bore a striking resemblance to the recent massacre in Jos, where attackers disguised as operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency infiltrated communities before unleashing violence.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, described the killings as “heinous” and warned of a disturbing pattern of “calculated and selective attacks” across the state.
Kaduna: Churches Targeted, Worshippers Killed
In Kachia Local Government Area, terrorists stormed churches during Easter services, killing at least five people and abducting dozens.
Troops under Operation FASAN YAMMA responded swiftly, engaging the attackers and rescuing 31 hostages. However, the attackers had already inflicted significant casualties, exposing the continued vulnerability of rural worship centres.
Katsina: Bandits Kill Policeman, Burn Hospital
In Katsina State, bandits launched brazen daylight attacks on communities in Matazu Local Government Area, killing a police officer and injuring civilians while razing key infrastructure.
The attackers first struck Sayaya town, setting the community hospital ablaze, looting shops, and destroying vehicles before ambushing a police station where an officer, identified as Suleiman Bishir, was killed.
They later attacked Dankawari town, continuing their rampage.
Governor Dikko Radda visited the affected areas, condoling with security personnel and victims’ families, even as political stakeholders, including the African Democratic Congress, decried what they described as a failure of government to secure lives and property.
Borno: Boko Haram/ISWAP Intensify Attacks
In the North-East, Borno State witnessed multiple coordinated attacks by Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents.
In Chibok, terrorists attacked communities on the eve of Easter, burning homes, churches, and food stores in Kwapel village.
Simultaneously, coordinated assaults were carried out on security formations in Nganzai and Damasak, including a police divisional headquarters and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.
At least four police officers and a civilian hunter were killed, as insurgents reportedly deployed heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades.
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI engaged the attackers in fierce gun battles, forcing their retreat in some areas and rescuing over 150 civilians along the Buratai–Kamuya axis.
Ignored Warnings, Growing Fears
The widespread attacks have renewed focus on earlier warnings by Judd Saul of Equipping the Persecuted, who had cautioned—days after the Jos killings—that coordinated assaults were imminent across Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and Taraba.
He had warned that armed groups were massing and that the violence seen in Jos “was only the beginning,” urging President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to act decisively to protect vulnerable communities during Easter.
A Region Under Siege
The Easter weekend attacks, spanning multiple states and executed with alarming coordination, have intensified fears that northern Nigeria is facing a broader, escalating security crisis.
From the deceptive tactics used in Jos, to camouflage-clad killers in Benue, and large-scale assaults in Kaduna, Katsina, and Borno, the message is stark: vast swathes of the North remain dangerously exposed.
As security agencies continue operations and governments issue condemnations, the scale, timing, and spread of the violence raise urgent questions about preparedness, intelligence, and the capacity of the state to prevent what increasingly appears to be a sustained campaign of terror.