A Plateau-based pastor, Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, has appealed to the United States government and American citizens to intervene in the recurring killings in the state after four more people were reportedly killed near his church.
Dachomo, the Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), made the appeal in a post on X on Sunday, expressing frustration over repeatedly burying members of his congregation killed in attacks.
The cleric said the latest killings occurred days after he attended the burial of other members of his congregation who died in an earlier attack.
“I am heartbroken again. How many more tears must I shed before the world hears our cry?” he wrote.
He said four people had been killed near his church, leaving more families grieving and communities traumatised by the recurring violence.
“Four more innocent people have been killed near my church. Four more families have been thrown into mourning. Four more homes have been filled with unbearable silence,” he stated.
The pastor also expressed fears for his personal safety, questioning whether he could become the next victim of an attack.
“And who knows whether I am next?” he asked.
Dachomo described the emotional burden of repeatedly losing members of his congregation, saying his pastoral responsibility had become increasingly difficult amid the persistent violence.
“I am a shepherd. My responsibility is to protect, pray for, comfort, and lead my flock. But what happens when the shepherd is constantly forced to bury the very people he was called to care for?” he said.
He added that he was tired of burying members of his community and witnessing the consequences of violence on families.
“My beloved, I am tired of burying my people. I am tired of seeing innocent blood spilled. I am tired of watching children become orphans and women become widows,” he wrote.
The cleric urged residents of affected communities to stand together and demand action to protect their families, warning that continued attacks could leave more people dead and families displaced.
He also renewed his appeal to the United States government and American citizens, asking them to move beyond expressions of sympathy and support efforts to protect affected communities.
“I am therefore making another desperate appeal to the United States Government and the American people. Please, hear our cry. Please, help us,” he said.
According to him, the affected communities need meaningful intervention to strengthen security, support displaced families and ensure that those responsible for the killings are brought to justice.
“We are not asking for sympathy alone; we are asking for meaningful intervention to protect innocent lives, strengthen security, support displaced families, and bring those responsible for these killings to justice,” he added.
Dachomo said he would continue speaking out against the violence and demanding justice for affected communities despite the risks.
He also prayed for the families of those killed, the protection of survivors and the strength to endure further hardship.
The cleric did not identify the four people reportedly killed in the latest incident or provide details about when and how the killings occurred in his post. His account of the case has not been independently verified.
