Nigeria's Christians on edge for Easter after Palm Sunday massacre

"The terrorists stormed the area in a commando style and started shooting, sporadically chanting, 'Allahu Akbar' (God is great in Arabic)," a field worker told the aid agency Voice of the Martyrs from the scene. "The area is (a majority) Christian community."

Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, told Fox News Digital this Easter there are fears of more attacks against Christians in Nigeria.

"Tragic events like this are all too common in Plateau State and large areas of northern Nigeria," Blyth said. 

"And too often they can occur on Christian holy days like this. Indeed, people in the region will remember the devastating 2023 Christmas Eve attacks in Benue state that killed over 140 people."

Another local Christian resident, who also asked to withhold his name, told Fox News Digital, "I can assure you that the majority position among Christians in Nigeria is that what we are experiencing in Nigeria is Islamic expansionism, and it must be stopped, using whatever means is necessary."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Todd Nettleton of the Voice of the Martyrs' group said that, in countries like Nigeria, "Easter is often a season of peril. Holy days on the Christian calendar, including Christmas and Easter, are often times when those who hate the Gospel target our brothers and sisters in violent attacks."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Nigerian government for comment but received no response.