JOHANNESBURG — A Holy Week attack in a predominantly Christian town in Nigeria that left a reported 28 dead has led to widespread fears that more of Christ’s followers could be targeted over the coming Easter weekend.

On Palm Sunday last weekend, multiple gunmen reportedly shouted a Muslim declaration as they randomly opened fire in the predominantly Christian town of Angwan Rukuba in the Jos District of Nigeria’s Plateau State.

«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.»

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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.»

Nigeria is ranked the seventh-worst country in the world for Christian persecution by Open Doors. The organization claims it accounts for 72% of the total number of Christian killings worldwide in 2025.

A local human rights lawyer who asked to conceal his name due to security fears, was nearby when the latest attack happened. He told Fox News Digital, «A group of people came, around 20, some on motorcycles, and started shooting.»

He added the area is essentially a Christian one «and for anybody to go and openly shoot at people, then it must be that that person had Christians in mind.»

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Funerals for some 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen in the village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria, July, 28, 2025 (Courtesy: Christian Solidarity International )

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.»

The human rights lawyer said there are reports of videos circulating that are threatening more attacks against Christians, adding, «Here in Jos in Nigeria, we say that there is no Christian holiday or event left on the Christian calendar that has escaped an attack by radical Islamists or terrorists in Nigeria, whether it is Christmas, Easter or Good Friday, Palm Sunday or Sunday services or whatever. We are trapped.»

Christians hold signs as they march on the streets of Abuja during a prayer and penance for peace and security in Nigeria in Abuja March 1, 2020. (Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images)

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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.»

Open Doors’ Blythe said, «The fear of being brutally attacked will hang over millions of Christians across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, as they prepare for Easter, a festival that should be the most joyful moment in the Christian calendar. We will be praying that Christians around the world will be safe and free to celebrate and worship jubilantly this Eastertide.»

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

Mientras se cruzan las versiones por un alto al fuego entre Washington y Teherán, este miércoles por la tarde el presidente iraní publicó una carta abierta en la que dijo dirigirse «al pueblo de los Estados Unidos». Masoud Pezeshkian cuestionó la «guerra de desinformación», deslizó que Donald Trump puede estar siendo manipulado por Benjamin Netanyahu y cerró con una fuerte advertencia: «A lo largo de su milenaria y orgullosa historia, Irán se sobrepuso a muchos agresores. Lo que queda de ellos sólo son nombres manchados en la historia».

Se trata de una misiva de cuatro carillas publicada en los perfiles oficiales de redes sociales de Pezeshkian, presidente de Irán, este miércoles por la noche, hora local. Llegó apenas horas después de que Donald Trump afirmara en Truth Social que «el nuevo presidente del régimen iraní acababa de pedirle un alto al fuego», lo cual sería considerado por Washington sólo después de que se liberara el estrecho de Ormuz.

En su carta, Pezeshkian no se pronuncia explícitamente sobre el posible cese al fuego, pero señala: «Hoy el mundo está en una encrucijada. Seguir por el camino de la confrontación es más caro y fútil que nunca. La elección entre confrontación y compromiso es real y consecuente; su resultado moldeará el futuro de las generaciones venideras».

Tampoco aclara si la carta fue escrita con aprobación del líder supremo, Mojtaba Khamenei, de mayor poder que el presidencial.

«Al pueblo de los Estados Unidos de América y a todos aquellos que, en medio de un caudal de distorsiones y relatos fabricados, continúan buscando la verdad y aspira a llevar una vida mejor. Irán –en su nombre, carácter e identidad– es una de las civilizaciones más antiguas en la historia. Pero además de sus ventajas históricas y geográficas a lo largo de los tiempos, Irán nunca ha elegido, en su historia moderna, el camino de la agresión, expansión, colonialismo o la dominación», comienza la carta del presidente iraní.

Y continúa: «Incluso ante la ocupación, invasión y de la presión sostenida de las potencias globales –y a pesar de tener superioridad militar sobre varios de sus vecinos–, Irán nunca inició una guerra. En cambio, resolvió y repelió valientemente a aquellos que lo atacaron (…) Por eso, retratar a Irán como una amenaza no es ni consistente con la realidad histórica ni la moderna; y esa percepción responde a la necesidad de justificar la presión, mantener superioridad militar y la industria bélica (…) En ese contexto, si no hay una amenaza, se la inventa».

To the people of the United States of America pic.twitter.com/3uAL4FZgY7

— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) April 1, 2026

También señala a Estados Unidos por concentrar «sus más numerosas fuerzas y capacidades militares alrededor de Irán». «Lo que Irán ha sostenido es una respuesta mesurada en legítima defensa, lo cual no significa la iniciación de guerra o agresión alguna», amplía Pezeshkian en su carta abierta.

Además, dice -en referencia a las negociaciones por el programa nuclear, previas al estallido de la guerra- que «Irán buscó negociar, alcanzó un acuerdo y cumplió con sus compromisos».

«La decisión de salir de ese acuerdo, escalar el conflicto y lanzar dos ataques en medio de las negociaciones fueron dos decisiones destructivas del gobierno estadounidenses. Haber atacado infraestructura crucial de Irán –instalaciones energéticas e industriales– atentó directamente contra su pueblo», sigue.

Luego desliza acusaciones sobre el rol de Benjamin Netanyahu y su influencia sobre Trump: «¿Acaso los Estados Unidos no entraron en el conflicto arrastrados como un proxy de Israel, manipulados por su régimen? ¿Acaso no es evidente que Israel busca confrontar contra Irán hasta la vida del último soldado norteamericano y del último dolar de impuestos de cada estadounidense? ¿Es realmente ‘Primero EE.UU.’ la prioridad del gobierno norteamericano?».

«A lo largo de su historia y orgullosa historia, Irán se sobrepuso a numerosos agresores. Lo único que queda de ellos son nombres manchados en la historia, mientras que Irán persiste, resiliente, digno y orgulloso«, concluyó el presidente iraní.

Más temprano este miércoles, Trump publicó en su propia red social, Truth, un mensaje para anunciar que el régimen de Teherán había pedido un alto al fuego. «El nuevo presidente del régimen iraní, mucho menos radicalizado y mucho más inteligente que sus precesores, ¡acaba de pedir un alto al fuego a los EE. UU.! Lo consideraremos cuando el estrecho de Ormuz esté abierto, libre y despejado», comenzó el mandatario norteamericano.

De lo contrario, aseguró, Estados Unidos continuará «bombardeando Irán hasta la aniquilación o, como dicen algunos, hasta que regrese a la Edad de Piedra».

No tardó en llegar la respuesta desde Teherán: el portavoz del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Esmaeil Baqaei, dijo que «la afirmación de Trump es falsa e infundada».

As artificial intelligence continues to expand into homes and the workplace, voters are less concerned about it taking their jobs and more worried about its overall influence.

The latest Fox News Poll finds 66% of registered voters are concerned about artificial intelligence, up from 63% in December and 56% in 2023 (the first time the question was asked). 

The increase in concern is across the board, with the biggest jumps happening among women, voters without a college degree, Democrats and liberal voters.

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Yet when it comes to how AI will affect the workforce, voters aren’t concerned about their own jobs even though most think it will eliminate more positions (59%) than it will create (7%) over the next 5 years.

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Seven in 10 (69%) employed voters are unconcerned their job will be cut in the next five years, while three in 10 are worried (31%). This matches where sentiment was in November.

The lack of concern may reflect broader attitudes toward AI in the workplace: Seven in 10 say it is not important to their career that they learn how to use AI, including six in 10 employed voters. 

Another three in 10 say it is important, and that jumps to roughly  in 10 among workers, voters with graduate degrees, and those living in households with an annual income of $100,000 or higher. Those most likely to feel learning AI is a career priority are men under age 45 (48%). 

But if they must tech up, a majority of voters feel comfortable adopting and using new technology (60% comfortable vs. 40% not comfortable).

The highest numbers saying they’re comfortable are voters under age 45, particularly younger men (81%) and younger Republicans (82%).

Artificial intelligence and the military…

As the Iran conflict enters its fifth week, nearly two-thirds of voters are uncomfortable with the military using autonomous weapons systems (AWS). About four in 10 feel comfortable.

The partisan divide on this issue is wide: 52% of Republicans are comfortable with AWS vs. 27% of Democrats. Fifty-eight percent of MAGA Republicans are comfortable vs. 40% of non-MAGA Republicans.

There is also a prominent gender gap with men (43%) more comfortable than women (31%).

Still, nearly all voters say that when the military is considering a strike that could kill people, a human should be required to make the final decision: 93% feel that way vs. 7% saying AI systems alone should have the final say. 

This is a bipartisan belief, with at least nine in 10 Democrats, Republicans and independents agreeing a human needs to make the decision.

More than half of voters who have served in the military are uncomfortable with the use of AWS systems (54% not comfortable vs. 45% comfortable), and an overwhelming majority thinks a human should be making the choice between life and death (90%).

One more thing…

While concern about AI is up among voters, it’s far from the top worry with inflation (86% extremely/very concerned), healthcare (81%), gas prices (80%), political divisions (80%), unemployment (73%), attacks by Islamic (73%) and non-Islamic terrorists (70%), ability to pay bills (70%) and gun violence (69%) ranking higher.

Concern about Iran getting a nuclear bomb ties with concern over AI (66% extremely/very) while antisemitism (63%) and detentions by ICE (62%) rank lower.

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Conducted March 20-23, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,001 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (104) and cellphones (641) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (256). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.