In a hard-hitting exclusive interview with Central TV, controversial American missionary and humanitarian Alex Barbir has declared that the relentless killings across Nigeria — especially targeting Christians — amount to a full-scale war, not mere criminality or isolated banditry.
Barbir, who has been in Nigeria rebuilding destroyed villages, described arriving in the country through ambushes in Miango where people were killed right beside military barracks and checkpoints. He recalled the burning of Zikia where 50 people were slaughtered. “Since my time in Nigeria, I cannot come here and not experience killing,” he said.
Speaking about the recent Jos massacre, Barbir revealed he rushed to the scene just 10 minutes from his hotel because “people are massacred 10 minutes from your hotel, it doesn’t take long to go.” He drove there without fear, knowing hundreds of Christians had gathered. “I knew that if something were to happen, you have 500 Christians sitting there together, we’ll be unified,” he said. He described the attacks as clearly planned and coordinated, citing the Christmas Eve assaults in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos where “thousands of fighters attacked in unison, countless villages all at the same time.”
Barbir rejected the narrative of random criminality. “If there’s no war in Nigeria, what is happening? In every state, you have security forces deployed everywhere. In every state, you have people being killed, both Christian and Muslim. And if that’s not war, what is war?” He also revealed that three weeks ago he tried to rebuild Woro village in Kwara State — where Muslims were killed — but the governor and security forces stopped him, saying it was too risky.
He pointed to recent bombings in Niger and Zamfara and the pattern of hundreds of fighters invading villages at night to kill, burn, steal and take over land. “How is that not coordinated?” Barbir asked.
About the Author
