A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has called on the administration of Donald Trump to take stronger action over the recent killings in Plateau State, following reports of another deadly attack in Barkin Ladi.
Moore made the call while reacting to videos and reports from communities in the area, where gunmen reportedly attacked mourners gathered for a mass burial on Wednesday.
Several people were feared killed after the assailants opened fire on residents who had come together to bury victims of an earlier attack.
Authorities had yet to officially confirm the incident at the time the report was filed.
In his statement, the U.S. lawmaker questioned why Nigeria was able to respond quickly to an attempted coup in neighbouring Benin in 2025 yet continued to struggle with recurring violence in parts of Plateau State.
“When I visited Nigeria, the government acted swiftly to stop a coup in Benin,” Moore said.
“But while Christians are being attacked and killed at home, the response has not matched the urgency of the situation.”
He went further to accuse the Nigerian government of failing to prevent the attacks despite warnings from residents and local sources.
Moore described the killings as targeted violence against Christians and urged Washington to increase pressure on Nigerian authorities.
He also praised the Trump administration for including the protection of Christians in Nigeria in its broader counterterrorism strategy.
“I’m asking the Trump administration to take forceful action to defend innocent Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt,” he said.
His comments were backed by Sean Nelson of Alliance Defending Freedom International, who said stronger U.S. pressure was needed over what he called ongoing persecution in the region.
The attack reportedly happened in Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, where mourners came under fire while digging graves for earlier victims.
A local journalist, Masara Kim, said the attackers emerged from nearby hills and began shooting into the crowd, forcing residents to flee.
“There is a massive attack happening across several communities south of Jos,” he said. “People had barely started the burial when the gunmen struck.”
The latest violence has reignited claims by some American conservative politicians and advocacy groups that Christians in Nigeria are facing systematic persecution by Islamist militants.
However, the Federal Government has repeatedly rejected allegations of genocide, insisting that insecurity in the country affects both Christians and Muslims and is driven by terrorism, banditry, and longstanding communal tensions.
