On the night of Sunday, March 29, 2026, gunmen launched a coordinated attack on the Gari Ya Waye community in the Jos North local government area of Plateau State.
While initial local reports suggested “dozens,” official confirmations currently place the death toll at at least 20 people, with many others injured.
Residents reported that numerous gunmen on motorbikes entered the community late at night, shooting sporadically and setting fire to homes.
The Plateau State government has imposed a 48-hour curfew in Jos North to prevent reprisal attacks and allow security forces to restore order.
U.S. Congressman Riley M. Moore (R-WV), who has been a leading voice on this issue in Washington, issued a sharp response to the massacre. His warning follows the recent introduction of the “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” in February, which he co-sponsored.
The U.S. has recently redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) regarding religious freedom.
Moore’s office has previously proposed withholding U.S. funding and implementing targeted visa restrictions if the Nigerian government does not take “tangible steps” to protect Christian communities and prosecute attackers.
Moore has characterized the violence as a “moral crisis” and indicated that the “blood of these martyrs” would impact future military and economic cooperation between the two nations
