A humanitarian organization, Equipping The Persecuted, has expressed fresh concerns over a planned attack targeting several northern Nigerian communities on Christmas Day. However, the Presidency responded with skepticism, questioning the motives behind the alert and warning that it could create unnecessary fear and panic among Nigerians.

The alarm was raised by the organization’s founder, Judd Saul, during a roundtable meeting organized by the International Committee on Nigeria and the African Jewish Alliance. This meeting took place on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., and was chaired by former U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf.

Reports indicate that the meeting was attended by U.S. lawmakers, including Congressman Riley Moore and Chris Smith, Senator James Lankford, members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and representatives from Nigeria. During the forum, Saul alleged that terrorists were regrouping in preparation for coordinated attacks across parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, and Kaduna states.

He claimed that his organization had received credible intelligence suggesting an imminent attack and urged both the Nigerian government and U.S. authorities to act swiftly. Sources familiar with the meeting informed Saturday PUNCH that the discussions were part of ongoing international efforts to address insecurity in Nigeria, including concerns over the targeting of Christian communities.

Additionally, a source close to the U.S. government revealed that Saul had formally communicated the intelligence to American authorities through Congressman Riley Moore, who is expected to brief President Trump. After the open meeting, a separate closed-door session took place, but details of those discussions were not made public.

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja confirmed that Nigerian security agencies were aware of the alleged plot and had already begun implementing preventive security measures ahead of the Christmas period. Despite the Presidency's doubts about the report, security agencies remain on alert to prevent any threats to lives and property during the festive season.