Rep. Riley Moore Critiques Media Framing of Nigeria Palm Sunday Attack

U.S. Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) has sharply criticized The New York Times for what he called a “disgusting” and “anti-Christian hit piece” that minimized the brutal killing of Christians during Palm Sunday celebrations in Jos, Nigeria.

The attack took place on the evening of March 29, 2026, in the predominantly Christian community of Angwan Rukuba in Jos, Plateau State. Gunmen opened fire on residents gathered near a roadside market and a church, killing at least 12 to 30 people according to varying reports.

Local sources and Christian advocacy groups, including Open Doors, have cited higher figures, with some accounts mentioning up to 28 bodies recovered at the scene and in hospitals. The New York Times says at least 12 were killed, while Arise News says 26 people – as at Tuesday morning, are confirmed dead.

Several others were injured, prompting authorities to impose a curfew in Jos North which residents defied yesterday to agitate for the Governor’s attention, which – per Arise News reports – was misinterpreted as a protest.

No group has claimed responsibility for the assault. However, the timing – on one of Christianity’s most important holy days – in a region with a long history of targeted violence against Christian communities has intensified concerns that the attack was religiously motivated.

In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Rep. Moore expressed outrage that the New York Times published its article just one day after the bloodshed without seeking comment from him, despite referencing his previous warnings about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

“This is disgusting. A new low, even for the @NYTimes,” Moore wrote. “It’s been barely a day since Jos was rocked by this horrific attack by radical Islamic terrorists against peaceful Christians, and the Times couldn’t bother to ask for comment before running this anti-Christian hit.”

He then shared the quote he said he would have provided if contacted: “How many more Christians need to be slaughtered by Muslims, particularly on holy days, before the failing New York Times acknowledges that Christians in Nigeria are being massacred for their faith in our Lord and Savior? It’s pretty obvious if you aren’t trying to pass your radical political agenda off as news.”

Moore, a Roman Catholic who has been vocal on global Christian persecution, followed up with a message of solidarity: “The body of Christ is bleeding this Holy Week. I stand in solidarity with Governor @CalebMutfwang and our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria.”

The West Virginia congressman has repeatedly drawn attention in Congress to the systematic targeting of Christians in Nigeria by radical Islamist groups. He has sponsored resolutions condemning the violence and worked with the House Foreign Affairs Committee to highlight what many advocacy organizations describe as an ongoing campaign of persecution bordering on genocide.

Nigeria consistently ranks among the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians, according to watchdog groups such as Open Doors. The latest incident in Jos adds to a pattern of attacks on churches, villages, and Christian gatherings, particularly during religious observances.

Critics of the New York Times coverage argue that the article framed the violence primarily as part of broader “farmer-herder conflicts” or general criminality, rather than acknowledging the religious dimension evident in the choice of target, timing, and survivor accounts. Moore and other informed observers see this as a deliberate downplaying of the faith-based nature of the killings.

The congressman has previously warned that continued inaction by Nigerian authorities could strain U.S.-Nigeria relations. His comments align with a stronger emphasis under the current Trump administration on protecting persecuted religious minorities worldwide.

The latest violence has once again highlighted the complex security challenges in Plateau State, where recurring clashes have claimed thousands of lives over the years. Local leaders and Christian groups continue to urge the Nigerian government to provide better protection for vulnerable communities and to address the root causes of the targeted attacks.

Rep. Moore has urged the international community, including major media outlets, to accurately report the religious motivations behind such incidents rather than obscuring them under neutral or secular framing.

Meanwhile certain social media influencers are begining to advocate enlightened self defense.