Clergyman raises alarm over targeted assassination plot
The renowned regional chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, has raised an urgent alarm regarding a bounty placed on his life by terrorist groups.
Speaking from Jos, the Plateau State capital, the cleric revealed that he has become a primary target for extremist elements due to his outspoken stance against the ongoing violence in the Middle Belt. Dachomo stated that he no longer sleeps with both eyes closed as intelligence reports suggest a coordinated plot to silence him permanently.
According to reports from Daily Post, the cleric’s troubles intensified after several of his videos documenting mass burials in Barkin Ladi went viral on social media. The footage, which showed the aftermath of coordinated attacks on Christian communities, drew significant international attention, including from high-ranking foreign officials. Dachomo believes that the terrorists are desperate to stop him from exposing the “genocide” he claims is happening in the rural areas of the state.
The cleric revealed that he has received numerous death threats via phone calls and text messages from unknown individuals. He noted that the bounty was reportedly placed by a faction of BOKO HARAM in retaliation for his constant criticism of their activities. Despite the looming danger, Dachomo maintains that he will not be intimidated into silence while his congregants continue to face daily threats to their lives.
Documentation of mass burials draws global attention
Reverend Dachomo has become a central figure in the documentation of the humanitarian crisis in Plateau State, having presided over more than 70 mass burials. His recent interview with international journalists highlighted the sheer scale of the displacement and loss of life in agrarian communities. He noted that in some instances, he was tasked with burying over 500 people in a single night following brutal midnight raids by armed militants.
Reports from Vanguard Nigeria indicate that the cleric has been a vocal critic of the federal government’s response to the insecurity. He has repeatedly accused the authorities of downplaying the severity of the attacks and failing to provide adequate protection for vulnerable residents. His advocacy has prompted calls for intervention from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations (UN) to investigate the “systematic” nature of the killings.
The impact of his documentation has reached the highest levels of global discourse, with some world leaders referencing his reports as evidence of a worsening religious conflict. Dachomo argues that the labels of “communal clashes” often used by officials are a misrepresentation of what he describes as targeted ethnic and religious cleansing. He continues to provide digital evidence of destroyed churches and abandoned villages to back his claims.
Tense relationship with the Nigerian security forces
The relationship between Reverend Dachomo and the Nigerian Army has been characterized by significant tension and mutual suspicion. Earlier in 2025, the military command in Sector 4 of Plateau State reportedly accused the cleric of inciting public unrest through his inflammatory statements. They argued that his claims could lead to retaliatory attacks and further destabilize the fragile peace in the North Central region.
However, the cleric countered these accusations by stating that the military often fails to act on intelligence reports regarding impending attacks. He expressed frustration that instead of arresting the perpetrators, security agencies sometimes target those who raise the alarm. This friction has led to a lack of trust between the local communities and the uniformed personnel tasked with their protection.
In a surprising turn of events, a representative of the Nigerian Army recently appeared at Dachomo’s church to pledge a renewed commitment to his personal safety. While the gesture was welcomed, many supporters of the cleric remain skeptical about the practical implementation of such protection. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state has also called for a collaborative approach to identifying the sources of the death threats.
Call for self-defense and the refusal of ransom
Faced with the reality of being a “marked man,” Reverend Dachomo has issued a stern directive to his family and the COCIN community regarding his safety. He stated clearly that if he were ever to be kidnapped by terrorists, no one should contribute “one kobo” as a ransom for his release. He believes that paying ransoms only serves to fuel the machinery of terrorism and encourages further abductions of innocent citizens.
The cleric has also encouraged his followers to embrace the concept of self-defense within the limits of the law to protect their ancestral lands. He argued that the constitutional right to life implies a right to defend oneself when the state proves unable to provide a shield. This stance has sparked a wider conversation in Nigeria about the decentralization of security and the role of local vigilante groups in rural protection.
Dachomo described himself as a “martyr in waiting,” stating that his death would only serve to amplify the cries for justice. He told his congregation that the blood of the innocent would eventually “raise a war” that would lead to the liberation of the oppressed. This defiant tone has made him a hero to many in the Middle Belt, even as it places him at further risk from his detractors.
Rising humanitarian crisis in Plateau State communities
The ongoing insecurity in Plateau has created a massive displacement crisis, with thousands of farmers now living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Many of these individuals have lost their livelihoods and are unable to return to their homes due to the presence of armed groups in the surrounding forests. The socio-economic impact of this displacement is being felt across the state in the form of rising food prices and social tension.
Observers from Vanguard Nigeria have noted that the “genocide” claims have politicized the security discourse in a way that makes reconciliation difficult. There are growing calls for the Tinubu administration to implement the “forest guard” initiative to reclaim territories held by bandits. Without a permanent security presence in the hinterlands, many fear that the cycle of attacks and burials will continue indefinitely.
The state government under Governor Caleb Mutfwang has continued to sue for peace while demanding more support from the federal center. As the year 2025 ends, the fate of activists like Reverend Dachomo remains a barometer for the state of religious and ethnic harmony in Nigeria. For now, the cleric continues his work, alternating between the pulpit and the mass graves of his fallen members
