Palm Sunday Massacre in Plateau State Stokes Fears of Further Attacks on Christians Ahead of Easter

JOHANNESBURG — An attack during Holy Week in the predominantly Christian town of Angwan Rukuba in Plateau State has left a reported 28 people dead and heightened fears that Christians across Nigeria could face further violence during the upcoming Easter weekend.

Attack Details

On Palm Sunday, multiple gunmen entered Angwan Rukuba in the Jos district and opened fire at random, witnesses said. Several survivors and aid workers reported that the assailants repeatedly shouted the Muslim declaration "Allahu Akbar" while carrying out the assault in what locals described as a majority-Christian community.

Funerals for some 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen in the village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria, July, 28, 2025(Fox News)

"The terrorists stormed the area in a commando style and started shooting, sporadically chanting, 'Allahu Akbar'," a field worker told the aid group Voice of the Martyrs.

A local human rights lawyer who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons said he was nearby during the attack and estimated the group numbered about 20, with some attackers arriving on motorcycles. "A group of people came, around 20, some on motorcycles, and started shooting," he told Fox News Digital. He described Angwan Rukuba as "essentially a Christian" community and said the nature of the attack suggested the assailants had Christians specifically in mind.

Context And Concerns Ahead Of Easter

Religious freedom and aid organizations warn that Christian holy days have increasingly been targeted in parts of Nigeria. Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, told Fox News Digital that tragic events like this are "all too common in Plateau State and large areas of northern Nigeria" and that attacks often coincide with Christian observances.

Christians hold signs as they march on the streets of Abuja during a prayer and penance for peace and security in Nigeria in Abuja March 1, 2020.

Blyth pointed to the December 2023 Christmas Eve attacks in Benue State, which killed more than 140 people, as a recent example of large-scale violence directed at Christian communities. Open Doors ranks Nigeria among the countries with the most severe persecution of Christians and reported that Nigeria accounted for 72% of global Christian killings in 2025.

Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs said: "Easter is often a season of peril. Holy days on the Christian calendar, including Christmas and Easter, are often times when those who hate the Gospel target our brothers and sisters in violent attacks."

Local sources also reported that videos circulating online contain threats of further attacks, deepening anxiety among residents in Jos and other areas. A local Christian resident who spoke anonymously told Fox News Digital that many Christians in Nigeria view the violence as part of a wider Islamist expansionism and called for decisive action to stop it.

Reactions And Next Steps

Aid groups and religious organizations have urged greater protection for vulnerable communities and called for prayers for safety during the Easter period. Fox News Digital contacted the Nigerian government for comment but received no response.

What This Means: The Palm Sunday attack has intensified existing fears that faith-based observances in parts of Nigeria may be targeted. The incident underscores urgent questions about security, accountability, and protection for religious minorities as Easter approaches.