A member of the United States Congress, Riley Moore, has condemned the recent deadly attack on Christians in Plateau State, warning that continued assaults on worshippers could strain diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United States.
In a post on X on Monday, Moore described the reported killing of at least 10 Christians in Angwan Rukuba on Palm Sunday as part of a troubling and persistent pattern of violence targeting religious observances.
“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 worshippers before attacking them with machetes. This is sickening and unacceptable, though unfortunately not surprising,” Moore said.
Moore, who participated in a US fact-finding mission on alleged Christian persecution in Nigeria, highlighted that such attacks have become frequent on Christian holy days and called on Nigerian authorities to take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed.
“This tragedy follows a pattern of radical Islamic terrorists massacring Christians on Holy Days. Terrorists have attacked worshippers in Nigeria on nearly every holy day in recent memory,” he added.
The congressman urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently strengthen security measures ahead of upcoming religious celebrations.
“Abuja knows this pattern, and they must massively ramp up security for the Triduum and Easter. Failure to act decisively puts the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ at risk and could have serious consequences for Nigeria’s relationship with the United States,” Moore warned.
Plateau State, like other North-Central and North-West regions, has experienced frequent attacks by non-state armed groups. On March 14, gunmen suspected to be bandits killed 20 people and stole cattle during an ambush in Jos, according to the Kanam Development Association.
KADA reported that soldiers on routine patrol were ambushed, leading to the deaths of 12 security personnel and eight community members defending their villages. The assailants then raided nearby communities, stealing property and livestock.
“This further compounds the suffering of already vulnerable rural communities,” KADA said, noting that repeated attacks and kidnappings have plagued villages in the region in recent years.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, continues to battle a growing insurgency, with efforts by the Nigerian army to contain radical Islamist violence complicated by the presence of multiple armed groups across the North-Central and North-West regions.
