Jos Palm Sunday massacre: Expect ‘significant consequences’ from Trump administration, U.S. lawmaker tells Tinubu govt

U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has warned the Nigerian government of “significant consequences” for its relationship with the United States following a deadly Palm Sunday attack in Plateau State, which he characterized as part of a systematic genocide against Christians.

U.S. Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) has issued a stern warning to the Nigerian federal government following a brutal Palm Sunday attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Plateau State, that reportedly left at least 10 Christians dead. Moore, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee and recently led a U.S. fact-finding delegation to investigate religious persecution in Nigeria, characterized the assault as a targeted act by “radical Islamic terrorists.” In a statement released via X on Sunday, March 29, 2026, Moore asserted that the continued slaughter of religious minorities would lead to a fundamental shift in bilateral ties. “This is sickening and unacceptable, but it’s not surprising. This tragedy follows a pattern of radical Islamic terrorists massacring Christians on Holy Days,” he remarked, demanding that the Tinubu administration “massively ramp up security” for the remainder of the Easter season.

The Congressman’s reaction highlighted a shift in U.S. foreign policy toward Nigeria under the second Trump administration, citing a controversial military intervention from late 2025 as a precedent for future action. Moore claimed that the only recent religious holiday free from such violence was Christmas 2025—an exception he attributed to a specific U.S. military strike. “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,” Moore said. This reference follows reports from December 2025 when U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) launched precision strikes against ISIS-affiliated camps in Sokoto State to disrupt what the White House then called a “genocide in progress.”

As the “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” moves through the U.S. House of Representatives, Moore warned that the Nigerian government’s failure to mobilize and defend its citizens would result in direct accountability. He argued that if the Abuja authorities do not take the current threat seriously, “the blood of these martyrs will be on their hands.” The lawmaker’s ultimatum suggests that “significant consequences,” potentially including the suspension of security assistance and the imposition of Magnitsky Act sanctions on top officials, are currently being weighed by Washington. “Abuja knows this pattern,” Moore concluded, “and they must massively ramp up security for the Triduum and Easter” or face a total breakdown in the diplomatic partnership between the two nations.

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