At least nine people were killed when gunmen attacked New Year’s Eve celebrations in Nigeria’s Plateau state, officials said on Thursday. The assault occurred late on Wednesday in Chigwi village, in the Vwang district of Jos South, as residents gathered for traditional New Year’s Eve festivities.
Local official Iliya Chung said the victims included men, women and children, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attack. Six bodies were recovered soon after the shooting, but the death toll rose by early Thursday as some of the wounded later died in hospital.
Following the attack, authorities cancelled all New Year events in the area, including a function the state governor was due to attend. Plateau state has been plagued for years by recurring violence, driven by armed militias, herder–farmer clashes and widespread banditry.
In April 2025, similar attacks in the Zike and Bassa areas left at least 51 people dead, underlining the region’s deepening insecurity. Nigeria’s broader security crisis has attracted international attention, particularly from the United States, which has raised concerns about religious persecution.
Some US officials have described the violence as disproportionately affecting Christian communities, warning of potential action if the situation does not improve. The Nigerian government has rejected claims of genocide, saying both Christians and Muslims are victims of complex social, economic and criminal violence. Last year, US forces also carried out airstrikes on militant camps in northwest Nigeria as part of counter-terrorism cooperation with Nigerian authorities.