Amnesty International and Nigerians have called for an urgent investigation into a viral video allegedly showing children chanting threats to attack Christians in Enugu and Jos, Plateau State, raising concerns about religious intolerance, child indoctrination and national security.
The rights organisation condemned the footage, urging security agencies to identify those involved, establish the circumstances under which the video was recorded and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable.
The video, circulating on social media, shows a young man in a uniform associated with Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) leading a group of boys in marching drills while they sing in Hausa.
Translations accompanying the footage suggest that the chant includes threats to obtain an AK-47 rifle and attack Christians attending church services on Sundays in Enugu and Jos.
According to the translation, the leader of the chant says: “Give me the rifle. I will go to Enugu and Jos and kill the arna (infidels) while they are praying every Sunday. That is the training, that is the Sunnah.”
The chant also reportedly describes Enugu as a land of infidels and features sounds imitating gunfire.
Reacting to the footage, Amnesty International described the slogans as a disturbing example of children allegedly being exposed to violent rhetoric and religious hatred.
“The slogans are a vicious display of children being manipulated and indoctrinated with violence and hatred,” the organisation said.
It called for an immediate and independent investigation into the source, location and contents of the video, including the identities of the adult coordinators and the nature of the activities involving the children.
The organisation also urged authorities to review the moral songs and curricula used in the youth programmes depicted in the footage and establish safeguards to prevent the radicalisation of minors.
It further called for psychological and educational support for children who may have been exposed to extremist messaging, while insisting that individuals or religious groups found to be promoting intolerance or violating religious freedom should be held accountable.
“Protecting children from exposure to hateful rhetoric, militarised drills, and extreme indoctrination is an obligation of the state under national and international law,” Amnesty International said.
The organisation cited the Child Rights Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, stressing that children must be protected from violence, hate speech and recruitment or training in paramilitary activities.
“Using structured youth programmes or religious training groups to instil hostile ideologies compromises the safety, moral development, and future of young Nigerians,” it added.
The uniform seen in the footage has been associated with the First Aid Group (FAG) of JIBWIS, whose members, known locally as ‘Yan Agaji, are involved in humanitarian and volunteer services.
However, the appearance of the uniform does not independently establish that those involved are registered members of the organisation or that JIBWIS leadership authorised the alleged activity.
Advocate urges DSS, police to investigate
A humanity advocate, Taoheed Mustapha, also condemned the footage, questioning how children could allegedly be encouraged to threaten fellow Nigerians on religious grounds.
“How did we get to the point where children are allegedly being encouraged to kill fellow Nigerians in the name of religion?” he asked.
Mustapha said the video appeared to show a uniformed man encouraging attacks on Christian worshippers in churches in Jos and Enugu.
“If authentic, this is incitement to terrorism, not religious teaching!” he said.
To illustrate the gravity of the allegations, he asked Nigerians to consider how the public would react if Christian religious leaders encouraged children to attack Muslims worshipping in mosques in Kano and Ilorin.
He argued that threats against any religious community should attract the same level of condemnation, regardless of the faith of the alleged perpetrators or their intended victims.
“So why should we tolerate such threats against Christians?” he asked.
Mustapha called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to investigate the footage, identify the individual leading the chant and arrest him if the allegations were substantiated.
“A threat against Christians is a threat against Muslims. A threat against Muslims is a threat against Christians,” he said.
“We cannot condemn terrorism only when our religion is the victim.”
Nigerians condemn alleged threats
The video has also triggered widespread reactions on social media, with users expressing concern about religious intolerance, the safety of Christian communities and the possible indoctrination of children.
A user identified as Bia-pulse called for action if the translation accompanying the footage was accurate, questioning how threatening statements could allegedly be made in the name of religion.
The user urged security agencies to identify and arrest those involved if the allegations were substantiated, adding that residents of Enugu and other parts of the South-East should not be threatened because of their religious beliefs or identity.
Another user, Mato, described the alleged chant as “pure barbarism”, arguing that religious differences should be respected and that people should not be labelled infidels because they practise another faith.
Lekdung also expressed concern about religious intolerance, while Babankowa called on both the authorities and the Izala organisation to investigate the video and take appropriate action.
“This is un-Islamic. I called upon Authorities and the Izala sect to investigate this boy and take necessary action,” Babankowa wrote.
The user stressed the need to prioritise national unity over religious differences, adding: “At this very point in time, Nigeria is more important than anything.”
Pandora Queen, who identified as a Muslim, also condemned the behaviour allegedly depicted in the footage.
“As a Muslim, I condemn this behaviour, and I call on the appropriate authorities to take action on these young men. This is not Islam or what Islam teaches us,” the user wrote.
However, another user, Faysarhl, criticised what was described as a tendency to associate the actions of individuals from northern Nigeria with Islam, questioning whether similar scrutiny was applied when wrongdoing involved people from other parts of the country.
Devon Ajala also expressed concern about the alleged indoctrination of children, warning that criticism of such conduct could be misrepresented as hostility towards Islam.
The reactions highlight growing concerns about the consequences of inflammatory religious rhetoric in a country where religious and ethnic tensions have repeatedly fuelled mistrust and insecurity.
The controversy has also renewed calls for religious leaders, community organisations and government authorities to ensure that youth programmes promote peaceful coexistence rather than hatred or hostility towards other faiths.
As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the individuals in the footage, the location and circumstances of the recording, the accuracy of the accompanying translation and the alleged participants’ affiliation with JIBWIS had not been independently verified.
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