At least eight people, all residents of the predominantly Christian Bum community in Chugwi, Vwang District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria, have been confirmed dead following a late-night armed attack.
The assault occurred around 11:00 p.m. on Dec. 31, as residents were preparing to usher in the New Year.
Community leaders and youth groups reported that armed assailants invaded the area shortly before midnight, opening fire on civilians inside the community. Survivors said the attackers struck swiftly and withdrew before help could arrive. By Thursday morning, Jan. 1, 2026, seven bodies had been recovered, one died in the hospital, and search and rescue operations continued amid fears that additional victims may be discovered.
The attack took place despite earlier intelligence warnings of imminent violence in parts of Jos South Local Government Area. According to security alerts circulated over the past two weeks by the media outlet TruthNigeria, several communities in the Kuru and Vwang districts had been identified as potential targets for coordinated attacks by armed Fulani militants. Residents say no visible preventive deployment was made by security agencies before the assault on Chugwi.
The Berom Youth Moulder-Association (BYM), which has been monitoring the situation, confirmed the casualty figures and linked the attack to suspected armed Fulani militants. BYM National Publicity Secretary Rwang Tengwong said in a statement the assault occurred despite warnings that Christian communities in Jos South were under threat.
“This incident happened after a clear security alert indicated that communities in Jos South LGA had been earmarked for attack,” Tengwong said, adding that residents had repeatedly raised concerns about vulnerability and lack of adequate protection.
Local accounts describe the victims as Christian families who had gathered in their homes ahead of New Year celebrations. Several houses were reportedly targeted, forcing survivors to flee into nearby bushes and neighboring communities. Fear has since spread across surrounding villages, many of which share similar security concerns.
The violence comes amid heightened tensions in Jos South. Hours before the Chugwi attack, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), a Fulani pressure group, announced a temporary suspension of its members’ participation in the weekly cattle market in Jos South. The decision followed a shooting incident involving some of its members at a gas station in Bukuru on Saturday, December 27. As of the time of reporting, no arrests had been announced in connection with the earlier shooting.
While some observers have suggested a possible link between the Bukuru incident and the Chugwi attack, security analysts and community leaders point to broader patterns of violence in Plateau State, including repeated assaults on Christian farming communities, unresolved territorial disputes, and the continued presence of armed groups operating from areas described by locals as “no-go zones.”
Intelligence reports obtained before the attack warned that armed groups planned to use “shoot-and-run” tactics, often arriving in minibuses or sedans to carry out night assaults before retreating. The same reports identified parts of Jos South, including Kuru, Farin Lamba, Kwata, and surrounding villages, as high-risk areas. Community leaders say these warnings were shared publicly but were not followed by visible preventive action.
Residents are now calling on the Plateau State Government, federal authorities, and security agencies to immediately investigate the Chugwi attack, arrest and prosecute those responsible, and strengthen security deployments in vulnerable communities. They also urged authorities to ensure the protection of civilians without discrimination, noting that many of the affected areas are predominantly Christian.
As of the afternoon on Jan. 1, the Plateau State Police Command had not released an official statement on the incident, and no arrests had been announced. Meanwhile, displaced residents remain fearful of further attacks, while community leaders continue to demand accountability for what they describe as repeated failures to act on early warnings.
