Cleric Says He Received a Death Threat From Herdsmen

Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, Regional Leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, says he and members of his congregation have received a letter threatening their lives after attacks on communities in Plateau State.

He made the allegation in a statement shared on his X handle on Friday, saying copies of the threat letter had already been handed to security agencies.

He said the letter, written in both Hausa and English, carried a chilling warning.

‘A few days ago, Fulani herdsmen sent a threatening letter to me and to members of my church. The letter was written in both Hausa and English, and its message was terrifying,’ he said.

‘They vowed to attack me and kill me soon, just as they killed nine of my relatives. Copies of these threatening letters have already been handed over to the security operatives.’

Despite the danger, Dachomo said he was not afraid, describing his faith as his source of courage.

‘Many people have asked me if I am afraid. My answer is no. I am not afraid because my life is in the hands of Almighty God,’ he said, citing Psalm 118:6: ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?’

The cleric said the latest violence had reopened old wounds, recalling the grief of burying relatives and consoling families torn apart by attacks.

‘I know what it means to bury those I love. I know what it means to wipe the tears of children who watched their parents murdered. I know what it means to stand before grieving families whose only crime was refusing to deny Jesus Christ,’ he said.

‘Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime?’

He questioned whether speaking up for the vulnerable had made him a target.

‘Is my crime that I speak for widows who have no voice? Is my crime that I cry for orphaned children whose parents were murdered? Is my crime that I tell the stories of persecuted Christians in Nigeria so the world will not forget them?’ he said.

‘If that is my crime, then I will continue until my last breath.’

He insisted that threats against his life would not stop him from speaking out.

‘They may threaten my life, but they cannot silence the truth. They may kill the messenger, but they cannot kill the message,’ he said.

Dachomo added that, should he be killed, he hoped to be remembered simply for the cause he stood for.

‘If one day my voice is silenced, let the world remember that I never carried a weapon. My only weapon was the truth. My only mission was to defend the persecuted,’ he said.