At least 160 people were killed by criminal gangs since Saturday in Plateau State, Nigeria, which has a majority Christian population. According to the information, the attacks began on Saturday and continued until Monday.

"Hostilities began on Saturday and continued on Monday morning," Monday Kassah, president of the governing council of Bokkos, a constituency that has been the focus of religious and ethnic tensions for several years, told AFP.

AFP explained that "the populations of the northwest and central regions of Nigeria live in terror of attacks by jihadist groups and criminal gangs that loot villages and kill or kidnap their inhabitants."

The state commissioner of police, Okoro Alawari, issued a statement explaining that the events occurred in two of the 17 local government areas (LGAs), Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi. He detailed that at least 221 houses were burned.

“The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Okoro Alawari expresses grief over the deadly attacks that took place in some remote villages of Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State carried out by some yet-to-identified assailants on the December 24, 2023 at odd hours of the night, and sympathizes with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the gruesome attack,” Alwari said in a statement obtained by Persecution.org.

Meanwhile Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang posted about the events on X (formerly Twitter) and noted that this set of attacks was well coordinated with heavy weapons. "We have not less than 17 communities that were completely touched and brought down by these Bandits and Criminals. It has been a very terrifying Christmas for us on the Plateau," he highlighted.

Mutfwang asked the authorities to investigate the case and stressed that he will meet with the president of Nigeria to inform him about everything that has happened in the last few hours in the state.

"We must stay united to defend our communities. Plateau is the home of peace and tourism and by God's grace it will remain so," Mutfwang said.