“They Say I’m Next”: Nigerian Pastor Speaks Out After Nine Family Members Are Massacred

A Nigerian cleric whose posts on the persecution of Christians were recently highlighted by United States President Donald Trump has revealed that nine members of his extended family were killed in an attack in Plateau State, alleging that he has since received death threats from suspected Fulani militia.

The cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, Regional Leader of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, said the attackers had specifically targeted him during the assault on his family compound in Riyom Local Government Area on 12 July, but instead killed members of his family, including a two-month-old infant.

According to multiple reports, the assailants reportedly arrived at the residence asking, “Where is the father of this house?” before declaring, “Today, you will learn a hard lesson,” and opening fire indiscriminately.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Rev. Dachomo disclosed that he had also received a threatening letter from suspected Fulani herdsmen.

“A few days ago, Fulani herdsmen sent a threatening letter to me and to members of my church. Its message was terrifying. They vowed to attack me and kill me soon, just as they killed nine of my relatives,” he wrote.

The pastor, an outspoken advocate for Christians affected by violence in Nigeria, questioned why he had become a target.

“Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime? Is my crime that I tell the stories of persecuted Christians in Nigeria, so the world will not forget them?”

He added:

“They may threaten my life, but they cannot silence the truth. They may kill the messenger, but they cannot kill the message.”

Rev. Dachomo said he has presided over more than 70 mass burials of Christians by the end of 2025, with the killings continuing into this year. One of the funerals he officiated was recently highlighted by President Trump on social media.

The latest attack has drawn international concern, with the United States Department of State describing the violence against Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt as “shocking” and calling on the Nigerian Government to take stronger action.

In a statement issued to Fox News Digital, a State Department spokesperson expressed condolences to the victims’ families and condemned the killings.

“We have seen reports of the killing of nine Christians in Plateau State in Nigeria. There remains a shocking level of violence against Christians in the Middle Belt committed by Fulani Ethnic Militia.

“We unequivocally condemn this heinous act. We urge the Nigerian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and take specific steps that will improve security for Christians.”

The spokesperson disclosed that during meetings with Nigerian officials in Abuja between 13 and 15 July, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, conveyed Washington’s concerns over attacks on Christian communities and emphasised the need for concrete measures to improve security and promote religious freedom.

The incident has also renewed calls from advocacy groups for greater international attention to the violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

Judd Saul, founder of the non-profit organisation Equipping the Persecuted, alleged that Islamist Fulani militias remain the principal perpetrators of attacks against Christians in the region.

According to Saul, more than 40 Christians have reportedly been killed within the past week alone, warning that further attacks could occur if urgent security measures are not implemented.

His organisation cited findings from a recent six-year study by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA), which reported that terror-related violence claimed 79,323 lives in Nigeria between 2019 and September 2025 an average of 36 deaths each day.

The study attributed 44 per cent of the fatalities to Fulani militias, compared with 12 per cent linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) combined.

Despite these claims, the Federal Government of Nigeria rejected attempts to characterise the country’s security challenges as a religious conflict.

Responding to the allegations, Rabiu Ibrahim, spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, extended condolences to Rev. Dachomo and his family but cautioned against drawing conclusions before the completion of official investigations.

“The Government rejects attempts to portray the nation’s security crisis as a conflict between faiths. Such narratives oversimplify a complicated situation and risk serving the interests of criminal groups who seek to exploit existing fault lines, create fear and undermine national cohesion,” Ibrahim said.

He added that the attack on Rev. Dachomo’s family was being treated with the seriousness it deserved and assured that security agencies would investigate the incident thoroughly and bring those responsible to justice, irrespective of their identity or affiliation.

Meanwhile, Rev. Dachomo has appealed to both the Nigerian and United States governments to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities in the Middle Belt.

Addressing President Bola Tinubu in another social media post, the cleric pleaded for urgent intervention to halt the killings, while reaffirming his resolve to continue speaking out despite the threats against his life.

The attack has once again drawn attention to the persistent insecurity affecting parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where repeated violence has claimed thousands of lives and displaced numerous communities in recent years.