Plateau on Fire: Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo vs Sheikh Jingir Over Plateau Killings!

Plateau on Fire: Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo vs Sheikh Jingir Over Plateau Killings

By Amos Dachung – Sele Media Africa Reporter
September 4, 2025

Jos, Plateau State — The fragile peace in Plateau State has once again been rattled as prominent cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Bwede Dachomo of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), openly confronted Islamic leader Sheikh Yahaya Jingir, in the wake of renewed violence that has claimed dozens of lives in recent weeks.

In a fiery address published in a video by Plateau News, Rev. Dachomo suspended all scheduled meetings—including a crucial COCIN Church leaders’ session—to directly respond to Sheikh Jingir’s statements. Sheikh Jingir, who serves as the National Chairman of the Ulama Council of Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’Ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), had earlier lamented what he described as systemic injustices against Fulani herders, citing cattle rustling and targeted attacks that have led to widespread loss of life and property.

But for Rev. Dachomo, this framing ignores the harsh realities on the ground. Citing the recent massacre of 27 people in Bindi, Hos, and Riyom Local Government Area, as well as attacks on Fan District—including his own ancestral villages of Rim and Jol—he declared:

⁠“If my people cannot sleep, how can I sleep? And if I can overcome cancer, then I shall also survive this Islamic cancer of terrorism.”

The cleric did not mince words, describing the wave of attacks as a religious crisis targeted at Christians in Plateau and across Nigeria. He called upon both local youth to rise in self-defense and the international community, including U.S. leaders like Donald Trump, to intervene and rescue Nigeria from the grips of unending violence.

⁠“Since the Fulani have declared war on Plateau, we too shall declare war—on our knees in prayers. I will do everything to declare war against Islamic terrorism in Nigeria.”

Religious and Political Undertones

Dachomo’s remarks are as much spiritual as they are political. His comparison of terrorism to cancer reflects the depth of trauma endured by Plateau communities long caught in cycles of ethno-religious conflict between predominantly Christian farmers and largely Muslim Fulani herders.

International observers note that while both sides have suffered casualties—through reprisal killings, cattle rustling, and land disputes—the narrative of persecution is increasingly hardening along religious lines, threatening to inflame sectarian divides.

Human rights groups, including Christian Solidarity International, report that over 120 Christians have been killed in Plateau attacks this year alone. Meanwhile, Fulani associations insist that their people are equally under siege, pointing to unpunished killings and the theft of herds.

A Call for Urgent Action

The Plateau State government has yet to issue a firm response to Dachomo’s statements, though federal authorities continue to urge restraint and dialogue. Security agencies have launched investigations into the latest killings, but public confidence remains low.

Local peacebuilding experts warn that polarizing rhetoric by faith leaders could either galvanize protection for vulnerable communities or deepen the spiral of revenge attacks.

Rev. Dachomo, however, insists that silence is no longer an option:

⁠“If the government fails, if international leaders ignore us, we will fight this war in the spirit and defend our people with every tool of prayer and resilience.”

Sele Media Africa Analysis

The Plateau crisis is no longer just about land or cattle—it is a contest over truth, survival, and the identity of communities. As both clerics—Jingir and Dachomo—mobilize narratives from their faith traditions, the big question remains: Will Nigeria’s leaders allow religion to become the spark for another round of bloodshed, or will they rise above rhetoric to forge lasting peace?