By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Chairman of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), Emeka Umeagbalasi, has urged the United States to retain Nigeria on its list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) over what he described as continuing attacks on Christians and other vulnerable religious communities.

Umeagbalasi made the call in a video interview with Enugu-based Signature Digital TV, released as he raised fresh concerns over recent killings in Plateau and Benue states.

According to him, Intersociety's daily monitoring recorded the deaths of close to 30 Christians in Mangu and Riyom, Plateau State, between August 17 and 18.

He also alleged that another group of about 30 Christians was killed in five villages in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State during the same period.

Umeagbalasi said the Plateau figures were based on information attributed to Barnabas Aid International, while the Benue account was drawn from local media reports and eyewitness accounts.

He urged the US government to maintain Nigeria's CPC designation for 2027, arguing that continued international scrutiny was necessary to pressure the Nigerian government to address what he described as religiously motivated killings.

“Please, not only that you carefully watch the clip, but also send it to others in your local and international contacts,” Umeagbalasi said in his appeal accompanying the interview.

The Intersociety boss accused the Nigerian government of maintaining what he described as “false narratives, false denials and coverups” over attacks on Christians.

He said the organisation's position was based on statistics it had been collecting from incidents across the country, insisting that the recent killings in Plateau and Benue should not be treated as isolated incidents.

Umeagbalasi also called for stronger international measures beyond the CPC designation, saying practical steps were needed to compel the Nigerian government to address attacks against Christians as well as moderate Muslims and other vulnerable communities.

He said Nigeria's continued presence on the US CPC list would help maintain international pressure on authorities to protect citizens and address religious violence.

Umeagbalasi's claims about the recent death tolls and the characterisation of the violence are allegations by Intersociety and the sources it cited; independent verification of the specific figures was not provided in the statement accompanying the interview.

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