Terrorists threatened to kill me, church members – Pastor

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The Regional Leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has alleged that suspected terrorists sent him and members of his church a letter threatening to kill them days after nine of his relatives were killed in an attack on communities in Plateau State.

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

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According to him, the letter, written in both Hausa and English, warned that he would soon be attacked and killed.

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“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.

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“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,” he said.

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Despite the threats, the cleric said he remained unafraid because he believed his life was in God’s hands.

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“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.

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Quoting Psalm 118:6, he added, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?”

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Dachomo said the recent attack had left him with painful memories of burying loved ones and comforting families devastated by violence.

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“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.

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“Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime?” he said.

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The pastor questioned whether advocating for widows, orphans and persecuted Christians had become an offence.

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“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?

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“If that is my crime, then I will continue until my last breath,” he said.

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He maintained that while those behind the threats might take his life, they could not silence the truth.

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

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Calling on the international community not to ignore the plight of victims of violence, Dachomo urged people to remember affected families and demand justice.

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“Remember the widows. Remember the orphans. Remember the innocent Christians who continue to suffer simply because of their faith. Stand with us in prayer. Stand with us in truth. Stand with us in demanding justice for every innocent life,” he said.

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He added that if he were eventually killed, he wanted to be remembered as someone whose only weapon was the truth.

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“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.

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Dachomo alleged that nine of his relatives were among those killed during the July 11 attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

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PUNCH Online had reported that at least nine members of a single family, including a two-month-old infant, were killed when suspected gunmen attacked the communities late on Saturday night.

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According to residents, the attackers stormed the communities at about 11:30 p.m., opened fire indiscriminately and killed nine members of one family, while the village head sustained critical injuries.

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Although PUNCH Online reported the killing of nine members of a single family during the attack, it could not independently verify Rev. Dachomo’s claim that the victims were his relatives.

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The cleric has been a prominent advocate for victims of attacks on Christian communities in Plateau State and has repeatedly spoken publicly about killings, displacement and the humanitarian impact of the violence in the state.

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