Jihadist massacre in Nigeria: Fulani militias murder dozens of Christians during Palm Sunday

In the midst of a new escalation of violence in central Nigeria, an armed attack attributed to Fulani militias or jihadist groups left between 26 and 40 dead, according to different local sources and human rights organizations, in an event that occurred during Christian Holy Week celebrations.

The episode, which caused national and international shock, took place on Sunday night, March 29, 2026 in the community of Angwan Rukuba, in the city of Jos, capital of the state of Plateau.

The attack occurred around 7.50 p.m., when a group of armed men — allegedly mobilized on motorcycles and dressed in camouflage uniforms — broke into the area of Gari Ya Waye, a densely populated neighborhood with a Christian majority, located near the University of Jos. There, they opened fire indiscriminately against residents who were gathered at a popular meeting point, which included a bar and residential areas.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of widespread panic, with bodies lying in the streets and seriously injured being taken to local hospitals, amid chaos that lasted for several minutes before the attackers escaped to nearby mountainous areas.

The attack, which many residents and Christian organizations attribute directly to Fulani militias or jihadist extremists, is part of the recurring conflicts over land and religion affecting the center of the African country. Sources such as Reuters and religious persecution monitoring organizations, including Open Doors and International Christian Concern, confirmed at least 30 dead, although the numbers could increase as counts of bodies and deaths in hospitals are completed. The victims include women, children and university students

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Initially, the Plateau State Police reported 14 deaths, but the number increased as investigations progressed, while it was confirmed that dozens of injured people received urgent medical attention.

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The Angwan Rukuba community, characterized by its Christian majority and the strong presence of students, was the scene of mass protests the following day. Hundreds of residents defied the curfew to demand greater government protection and an end to recurring violence in Plateau State.

Organizations such as the Archdiocese of Jos and various advocacy groups described the event as a selective attack against Christians that occurred on a particularly symbolic date in the liturgical calendar, adding to a long list of incidents recorded in the Middle Belt region, where clashes between Fulani shepherds and Christian farmers have left thousands dead in recent years.

Although local authorities maintain that this is an episode of generalized banditry and not exclusively religious, analysts and residents link this type of attack to patterns of persecution against Christian minorities in Nigeria. Several NGOs consider the country to be the most dangerous in the world for the faithful of this faith, an assessment that is once again gaining strength after the massacre that occurred during Palm Sunday

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The incident also reactivated calls on the international community to exert greater pressure on the Nigerian government in order to curb violence in the region. In parallel, the University of Jos decided to temporarily suspend academic activities for security reasons. Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing and, so far, no arrests related to the attack have been confirmed

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