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In a critical Easter Sunday intervention, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) foiled a potential massacre by arresting a gunman allegedly poised to strike a church in Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State.
The suspect, intercepted during a morning security patrol, was found armed near the worship center as congregants gathered for Easter services, averting a tragedy reminiscent of the region’s 2023 Christmas Eve massacre.
Acting on intelligence, NSCDC operatives apprehended the individual at approximately 8:30 a.m. as he loitered near the church compound, reportedly armed with a firearm and lacking valid documentation.
“His presence at a worship center during Easter, a peak period for gatherings, raised immediate red flags. We neutralized a clear danger,” an NSCDC official disclosed, underscoring the urgency of the operation.
The arrest has stirred deep relief in Bokkos, a community still grappling with December’s brutal violence that claimed nearly 200 lives.
Authorities have yet to confirm whether the suspect acted alone or was part of a broader plot, but the timing—targeting Easter, a cornerstone of Christian observance—has amplified concerns about sectarian attacks on religious soft targets.
“This was divine intervention on a holy day. Easter almost turned to mourning,” shared a shaken churchgoer who witnessed the arrest.
Residents praised the NSCDC’s rapid response, though fears linger over persistent threats in Nigeria’s volatile Middle Belt, where clashes between farmers, herders, and bandits frequently escalate.
Authorities of the Plateau State government has urged vigilance, acknowledging the trauma of recent bloodshed. “We cannot overlook the symbolism of targeting Easter,” noted a local leader. “This arrest is a reprieve, but our security forces must remain alert.”
