Gunmen killed at least 30 people during a Palm Sunday attack in Ungwan Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state, Nigeria. The incident occurred during the evening, when armed men reportedly entered the community and opened fire on residents. Eyewitnesses described the attack as coordinated, with multiple casualties recorded and several homes affected. Following the incident, the Plateau state government imposed a 48-hour curfew in parts of northern Jos to contain the situation. Despite the restriction, residents, including youth, were seen on the streets protesting the killings and blocking roads in some areas. Separate reports from Angwa Rukuba Junction, Eto Baba, and nearby student residential communities indicate that at least 10 people were killed during gunfire earlier on Sunday. A humanitarian worker, Alex Barbir, stated in a video shared on social media that the victims were Christians attacked on Palm Sunday. Residents gave differing accounts of the attackers. One witness described them as members of Boko Haram, while another alleged they were armed Fulani militia who arrived on motorcycles, fired sporadically, and retreated toward nearby mountainous areas. As of the time of reporting, security agencies had not issued an official statement confirming the identity of the attackers. Local sources advised students living near the affected areas to remain indoors as tensions persisted. Kaduna Attack In a separate incident in Kaduna state, gunmen killed at least 13 people in an early morning attack on Kahir village in Kagarko Local Government Area on Sunday. Local sources said the victims were attending a bachelor’s party when armed men opened fire. A resident, Habila Markus, reported that several of his family members were among those killed. Others sustained injuries and received medical treatment. Authorities identified victims in the Kahir, Kadda, and Kukyer communities, with those killed ranging in age from 21 to 31 years, according to community records. Pattern of Attacks During Holy Week Data compiled from previous reports indicates that attacks have occurred in Plateau state during the Easter period in recent years. In 2025, a report by International Christian Concern (ICC) documented the killing of at least 54 Christians in Zikke village near Jos following Palm Sunday celebrations, along with the destruction of more than 100 households. In 2024, four people died in Njukkudel and Tangur in Bokkos Local Government Area on Easter Monday. Earlier incidents in 2021 and 2022 included attacks during Easter weekend that resulted in the destruction of homes and the displacement of residents. In 2020, nine people, including children and a pregnant woman, were reported killed in Hura-Maiyanga in Bassa Local Government Area during Holy Week. The 2026 incidents in Jos and Kagarko occurred during the same Palm Sunday period, adding to a series of reported attacks in Plateau state and surrounding areas during the Easter season in recent years. To read more news stories, visit the ICC Newsroom. For interviews, please email press@persecution.org. Since 1995, ICC has served the global persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of assistance, advocacy, and awareness. ICC exists to bandage the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church in the toughest parts of the world. |
