Terrorists killed at least 27 people in Jos on Palm Sunday, and a US congressman has now warned President Bola Tinubu that failure to protect Christians will damage relations with the Trump administration.
The attack took place on 29 March in the Anguwan Rukuba area of Jos North, Plateau State.
Attackers on motorcycles opened fire on residents gathered near a roadside market and close to a church after evening services.
Some reports say the terrorists also used machetes.
Local residents recovered more bodies in the days that followed, and the death toll rose as victims died in hospital.
Plateau State authorities imposed a 48-hour curfew to restore calm.
US Congressman Riley Moore reacted quickly.
In a post on X, he described the killings as part of a clear pattern.
Terrorists have struck Christian communities on holy days in recent memory, he said.
Moore, who took part in a US fact-finding delegation on religious violence in Nigeria, called on the federal government to increase security before Easter.
Moore added that the Trump administration takes the issue seriously.
He warned that if Nigeria does not act to defend its citizens, there will be significant consequences for bilateral ties.
President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations last year.
This step allows the US to apply pressure, including possible sanctions or other measures.
The violence in the Middle Belt has continued for years.
Communities there face repeated attacks that leave families displaced and markets empty.
Nigerian officials often link the incidents to disputes over land and resources between farmers and herders.
Yet church leaders and residents point to a religious dimension, with many victims from Christian areas.
Moore has visited the region as part of efforts to document the situation.
He and other US lawmakers argue that stronger action is needed to stop the cycle.
Nigerian authorities say they have deployed security forces and are investigating the latest attack.
No group has claimed responsibility so far.
The warning comes at a time when relations between Washington and Abuja already face scrutiny.
President Tinubu’s government maintains that Nigeria handles its security challenges internally.
Still, the US position puts fresh focus on the need for results on the ground.
Residents in Jos buried their dead this week while hospitals treated the injured.
Families wait for answers, and communities prepare for the next major Christian observance with heightened fear.
Moore’s message makes clear that the world is watching how Nigeria responds.
