A global non-denominational organization, Open Doors International, has alleged that Christians in Plateau State are being targeted for total elimination by Islamist extremists and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province, ISWAP.

The group which made the allegations in its ‘Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List’, published on Tuesday, said the claims are based on recent attacks in parts of the state, where more than 30 Christians were slaughtered by gunmen suspected to be Fulani jihadists. It also noted that communities, churches, houses, farms and food barns were burnt down and destroyed.

According to the report, the incidents cannot be treated as isolated events or reduced to competing narratives but should be seen as deliberate efforts by the jihadists to wipe out Christians and Christianity in the state.

The report noted that while Nigerian leaders are busy denying the fact that Christians are being targeted in Plateau State and other parts of the Middle Belt, attacks by armed herdsmen on Christian communities are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam, as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.

“In Nigeria’s North-Central zone, especially in Plateau State, Islamic extremist Fulani militias attack farming communities, killing thousands of Christians in deliberate efforts to wipe out Christians,” parts of the report said.

“Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, have also been active in the attacks and killing of innocent Christians in Plateau.

“Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.”

The Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List added that Fulani militias adhere to a radical Islamist ideology of expansionism, while also adopting a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP, and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and symbols of Christian identity.

“We believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Plateau State are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam, as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds,” the report stated.

The Nyesom Wike-backed Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has disowned a petition challenging the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, clarified that the PDP neither authorised nor endorsed Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026 before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo.

This came a few days after the tribunal displayed petitions purportedly filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the PDP challenging the outcome of the August 15 governorship election.

Mohammed described the petition bearing the PDP’s name as unauthorised, insisting that it did not represent the position of the party.

According to him, the PDP neither instituted, sponsored, approved nor endorsed any legal action challenging Adeleke’s victory in the election.

The PDP faction spokesman cited Article 42 of the PDP Constitution, which he said vests the authority to institute and conduct legal proceedings on behalf of the party in the National Legal Adviser.

Mohammed further noted that the party’s National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade, SAN, did not authorise or instruct any individual or lawyer to file the petition.

He specifically named Ochai Jacob Otokpa, Esq., as the lawyer purportedly responsible for filing the petition and challenged him to produce evidence of the authority under which he acted in the party’s name.

He said, “We are here to tell you that the PDP did not authorise this petition. That is not our case. Who instructed him? Who authorised him? And by what authority did he purport to act in the name of the PDP?”

According to him, the party had dissociated itself completely from the petition and would not recognise it as a proceeding instituted on its behalf.