United States congressman, Riley Moore, warned yesterday that continued attacks on Christians in Nigeria could strain diplomatic relations with the US, following reports of a deadly Palm Sunday killings in Jos, Plateau State, and Kaduna State.
Recall that no fewer than 40 persons were killed by gunmen suspected to be terrorists on Sunday night at Angwa Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State and Kahir village in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
While 27 were killed at Rukuba community in Plateau, 13 wedding guests were mowed down by the attackers in Kaduna.
The police in Plateau, however, said only 14 persons were killed in the attack that marred Palm Sunday in the community.
This came as the University of Jos, UNIJOS yesterday rescheduled examinations earlier scheduled for the day and today as a result of the attack, as Plateau State chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, described the deadly attack as a major setback to peace efforts in the state.
Reacting to the killings in a post on X yesterday, Moore condemned the reported killing of Christians in Anguwan Rukuba, describing the incident as part of a troubling pattern of violence targeting worshippers during religious observances.
The congressman, who was part of a United States fact-finding delegation on alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, added that such attacks had become frequent during Christian holy days, urging Nigerian authorities to take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed.
“This Palm Sunday, reports from Nigeria indicate that at least 10 Christians were martyred in the city of Jos. Radical Islamic terrorists opened fire on the Christians before hacking them to pieces with machetes. This is sickening and unacceptable, but it’s not surprising.
“This tragedy follows a pattern of radical Islamic terrorists massacring Christians on Holy Days. In fact, terrorists have attacked Christians in Nigeria on every single holy day in recent memory, except for last Christmas when President Trump sent 12 tomahawk cruise missiles to stop them,” he added.
Moore called on the Federal Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, to urgently strengthen security measures ahead of upcoming religious events.
“Abuja knows this pattern and they must massively ramp up security for the Tridduum and Easter. If they don’t take this threat seriously and mobilise to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ, blood of these martyrs will be on their hands, and there will be significant consequences for Nigeria’s relationship with the United States,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the attackers of the Plateau community, said to be in large numbers, stormed the densely populated community at about 7:30 pm on Palm Sunday and opened sporadic fire on residents, throwing the area into panic.
Mr. Dalyop Mwantiri, President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, BYM, who confirmed the casualty figure to Vanguard yesterday, said 14 victims were killed on the spot, while 13 others died later in the hospital.
Mwantiri condemned the attack, describing it as another sad episode in the recurring security challenges facing communities in the state.
He urged the relevant authorities to ensure the perpetrators were apprehended and brought to justice without delay.
The latest violence comes amid heightened tensions in parts of Plateau State, with residents calling for improved security measures to prevent further bloodshed.
Consequently, Plateau State government imposed a 48-hour curfew on Jos North Local Government Area, following the tragic incident.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, the government strongly condemned the “barbaric and unprovoked attack” on innocent citizens.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang assured residents that all necessary measures were being taken to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The statement urged citizens to remain calm, stay vigilant, and cooperate fully with security agencies by providing any useful information that might aid ongoing investigations.
Residents were also advised to adhere strictly to the curfew directive to enable security operatives carry out their duties effectively and prevent any further breakdown of law and order.
But countering the community on the death toll in a statement yesterday, Plateau State police command has confirmed that 14 people were killed in the attack.
In the statement signed by the command’s spokesman, Alabo Alfred, the police said the victims included 10 men and two women.
The statement read: “The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Bassey Ewah, commiserates with the people of Angwan Rukuba Community, Jos North Local Government Area, over the unfortunate attack which took place on March 29, 2026, and claimed the lives of twelve (12) persons, ten (10) men and two (2) women.
‘’As of this morning (yesterday) , an additional two corpses were found while our men were combing the bushes and trailing the suspects for possible arrest.
“At about 8:30 p.m. on March 29, 2026, the command received a distress call reporting that gunshots were heard around the Angwan Rukuba axis.
‘’Upon receipt of this report, the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, personally led a team of officers comprising members of the command’s management team, PMF squadron commanders, DPOs, and tactical team commanders within the metropolis, in conjunction with other security agencies, to the scene of the incident to reduce tension and restore calm in the area.
“As we speak, the police and other security agencies in the state have organised joint operations and are currently combing nearby bushes to ensure that the suspects are arrested or dislodged in accordance with the law.
‘’The corpses of the deceased have been evacuated to the mortuary for autopsy, and efforts are being intensified to arrest the culprits.
“While the identities of the victims are still being verified, the CP assures the families of the deceased that investigations are underway to track the perpetrators of this dastardly act and ensure that the law takes its course.’’
The Police Commissioner commiserated with the families of the victims and the people of the Angwan Rukuba community, assuring them that investigations were ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The Plateau State police command grieves with the government of Plateau State and the people of Angwan Rukuba community.
‘’Additional deployment of manpower and operational assets has been made to the area, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, to forestall any further breakdown of law and order,” the statement added.
The attack forced the University of Jos to reschedule examinations earlier scheduled for yesterday and today.
The university in a statement yesterday by its Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Madugu, said: “The Vice Chancellor has directed that all examinations scheduled to hold on Monday (yesterday) and Tuesday (today) will be rescheduled.
“This is in view of the Sunday night attack by gunmen on residents of Angwan Rukuba and the consequential tensions it has generated in and around the area.’’
He urged staff and students to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary movements.
Madugu also advised students to report any security breaches to the university’s security unit.
Reacting to the development yesterday, Plateau State chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, in a statement, condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric, senseless and a grave threat to peace and coexistence” in Plateau.
The group stressed that the sanctity of human life must never be violated under any circumstance, adding that it was “deeply pained by the magnitude of this tragedy” and declared that such acts of violence were unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
The Muslim body extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of the deceased, while wishing speedy recovery to those injured.
The group appealed to residents across the state to remain calm and law-abiding, warning against any form of retaliation or self-help that could further inflame the already tense situation.
‘’At this critical moment, we urge all citizens to exercise restraint. We must not allow anger and grief to push us into actions that could worsen the situation,” JNI stated.
The group called on security agencies, including the police and military, to immediately launch a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident.
It stated further: “It is imperative that the security agencies leave no stone unturned in uncovering the circumstances surrounding this attack.
‘’Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done to restore public confidence and prevent future occurrences.’’
JNI further urged the government, community leaders and religious stakeholders to intensify efforts towards peace-building, dialogue and reconciliation across affected communities.
The body reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence, unity and justice in Plateau State and Nigeria at large.
Terrorists on Sunday night killed 13 persons and abducted an unspecified number of guests after attacking a wedding ceremony at Kahir village in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
A resident of the area, Shehu Bala, told Vanguard yesterday that the attack occurred at about 11:47pm on Sunday.
He said the attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles, stormed the wedding venue in large numbers and opened fire inside the hall, killing 13 persons on the spot.
According to him, several other guests sustained varying degrees of gunshot injuries and were rushed to Kagarko General Hospital, while two victims with serious injuries were referred to Kaduna for further treatment.
“There are two of my friends who were inside the hall during the attack and they were also hit by bullets,” he said.
Bala added that it was difficult to determine the number of persons abducted due to the chaos that followed the attack.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the incident and listed the names of those killed.
He said the attackers operated for nearly an hour without resistance and also looted shops in the community, carting away food items, provisions and drugs from a chemist.
“The entire community was thrown into confusion as residents fled into the bush due to the sporadic shooting,” he said.
The spokesperson of Kaduna State police command, DSP Hassan Mansur, also confirmed the attack, saying the number of abducted persons was still being verified.
He said a comprehensive report would be issued once details were obtained.
“The command is yet to get details of the incident that happened in Kahir community, but a comprehensive report on the incident will made available after getting details of the incident,” he said.
Security operatives have since launched a search operation to track the fleeing attackers and rescue the abducted victims.
It was also gathered that the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, and Senator Sani Musa visited injured victims receiving treatment at the Kagarko General Hospital.
Several communities, including Janjala, have remained under sustained attacks by bandits.
In one of the incidents, 14 people, including a vigilante and his wife, were abducted about three weeks ago and are still in captivity.
The abductors are reportedly demanding N14 million as ransom for their release.
In a similar development, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), yesterday urged the Federal Government to liberalise access to basic self-defence weapons for citizens, accusing the Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, in one of the Middle Belt states of intimidation and harassment.
MBF spokesman, Luka Binniyat, who made the call, argued that citizens facing persistent attacks should be allowed lawful and affordable access to simple defensive tools under a regulated system.
The group cited the case of House of Representatives aspirant, Terry Tsala, who was allegedly arrested and pressured to admit to attempting to procure hunting rifles, despite claiming he only sought to acquire a locally made hunting gun from a licensed manufacturer.
MBF maintained that hunting guns were not illegal when properly obtained, referencing Section 33 of the Constitution, which guaranteed the right to life and allowed citizens to take reasonable steps to defend themselves.
“It is contradictory to encourage citizens to act as the first line of defence while arresting them for seeking lawful means of protection,” the statement said, referencing remarks by the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Ajayi.
The forum described the DSS action against Tsala as part of a broader pattern of intimidation aimed at discouraging vulnerable communities from defending themselves despite ongoing attacks.
It further alleged that the Middle Belt state in question had become a staging ground for attacks on neighbouring states, including Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kogi, and parts of Kaduna, leaving many communities exposed.
The MBF also criticised security agencies for allegedly disarming local populations, even after they repelled attacks, while perpetrators remained free.
While calling for urgent government action, the group urged authorities to establish a supervised system that would enable the mass production and lawful distribution of basic self-defence tools at affordable cost.
The forum also said it was willing to cooperate with the United States and other international stakeholders by providing information on individuals allegedly involved in violence in the Middle Belt.
Meanwhile, governors of the 19 Northern states have formally reaffirmed their “steadfast commitment” to President Bola Tinubu’s security and developmental agenda, pledging a unified front to neutralizse evolving threats across the region.
In a communique issued after their meeting at Gombe State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday, the Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, expressed confidence in the Federal Government’s approach to national stability.
The forum, chaired by Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, emphasised that the collective security of the north was inextricably linked to the success of the President’s “critical national assignment.”
The governors stated: “The Forum reaffirms its steadfast commitment to continuing its support for the Federal Government, under the able leadership of President Bola Tinubu in effectively countering evolving security threats.
“The Forum is dedicated to ensuring that lasting peace and security are firmly established throughout the region and the entire country.’’
They also noted significant progress in regional collaboration, adding that their “unified efforts” in addressing developmental challenges were “already producing positive outcomes.”
To sustain the momentum, the NSGF resolved to institutionalise these gains through a more robust administrative framework and the complete digitisation of the NSGF Secretariat.
The governors applauded ongoing efforts toward “institutional strengthening,” aimed at creating a foundation that “enhances coordination, ensures continuity, and improves the capacity of Northern States for strategic engagement and policy implementation.” – Vanguard.
