A Nigerian pastor, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has released the names of 500 Christians reportedly murdered in a wave of deadly attacks in Nigeria.
The shocking disclosure exposes the growing crisis of religious violence in the wake of US President Donald Trump labelling Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and declaring intention to use military action against the country.
The names reportedly belong to victims from just two churches who were killed in various terrorist attacks in Nigeria, particularly in Benue State.
Rev. Dachomo, who is the Chairman of the Regional Church Council of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), had appeared in a video at a mass burial site where names of victims were reportedly inscribed on a wall.
Mass burial of Christians in Benue State
He has been vocal about the ongoing violence, often described as a “genocide,” perpetrated by groups like militant Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram, primarily in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria.
The pastor and other religious leaders and human rights advocates have engaged with international figures and bodies, including U.S. lawmakers and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), to urge the international community to intervene and pressure the Nigerian government to address the security crisis and hold perpetrators accountable.
The specific incident involving the release of 500 names highlights the severity of the violence, which has seen thousands of Christians killed and millions displaced over recent years.
Canada Condemns Alleged ‘Christian Genocide’ in Nigeria too
Already, Canada has joined the United States in raising alarm over what lawmakers describe as an ongoing attack against Christians in Nigeria.
The development followed a strong statement made in the Canadian Parliament, calling global attention to rising killings and targeted violence in the country.
The issue was brought forward by Andrew Scheer, a Member of Parliament and leader in the Conservative Party.
He warned that the situation has reached a critical level and accused extremist groups of carrying out systematic attacks on Christian communities.
During his address, he said Nigeria has witnessed mass killings, mass displacement, and destruction of places of worship.
He stressed that silence from the international community is worsening the crisis, saying, “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the tragedy Christians in Nigeria are experiencing.”
He reminded Parliament that the crisis has lingered for years, stressing that extremist groups are behind much of the violence.
According to him, Boko Haram remains one of the key forces attacking Christian communities. He emphasized their mission to wipe out the faith, stating that the group has targeted believers and villages without mercy.
He referenced past atrocities to remind lawmakers of the group’s brutality: “The deadly terrorist organization Boko Haram is trying to eliminate the Christian faith from Nigeria. This is the same terrorist group that kidnapped dozens of young schoolgirls and burned innocent civilians alive in cages.”
Scheer then spoke about the humanitarian disaster unfolding in affected regions.
He highlighted mass displacement across northern and central Nigeria, noting that millions have been forced from their homes, churches and communities.
“According to reports, over 3.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Three churches are destroyed every single day.”
The former house leader continued, explaining that Christian worship has become dangerous as many can no longer gather publicly without fear of attack. Believers now meet secretly in devastated areas and burnt church buildings.
He added, “7,000 Christians were massacred this year alone, and the faithful must now meet in secret or in burnt-out sanctuaries.”
Scheer also expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of international attention.
He criticized global media and political leaders for failing to highlight the crisis or demand accountability.”
he said,
“Sadly, the world is turning a blind eye to the plight of Christians in Nigeria. There are no embedded journalists covering the violence. There are not daily updates. Politicians around the world are not asked questions about how they will respond.”
The Canadian MP urged world leaders to act, insisting that global silence is helping fuel the violence.
He stressed the need for humanitarian support, public awareness and international pressure on authorities to protect vulnerable communities.
“We cannot ignore this violence and tragic loss of life. We must speak out and shine a light on what’s happening so that people can donate to relief efforts and provide support to those displaced by violence.”
Scheer ended on a note of solidarity and faith, encouraging Christians in Nigeria to remain resilient despite the suffering, promising that they would not be forgotten.
Nigerians expose President Bola Tinubu’s aide
Meanwhile, Nigerians have unearthed a series of old tweets by Olusegun Dada, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital Communications, in which he previously raised alarms about church attacks and government inaction on religious violence.
The renewed scrutiny came after Dada shared an official government statement countering claims of widespread Christian killings in Nigeria — a statement that was posted shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened war against Nigeria over the issue.
Also read:
- Trump Blasts Nigeria Over Alleged Christians’ Genocide
- Pastor Adeboye, A’Ibom Christians Protest Against Killings Of Brethren In Nigeria
- No Security, No Justice In Nigeria- CAN Declares
Dada’s recent post featured an image of the presidency’s statement, titled “Nigeria Stands Firmly as a Democracy Governed by Constitutional Guarantees of Religious Liberty.” The statement, signed by President Tinubu, read in part:
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality… Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
Dada captioned the post: “FYI @WhiteHouse.” However, Nigerians quickly began circulating his old tweets, many of which painted a starkly different picture. In a December 25, 2011 post, he wrote:
“Boko Haram promised to bomb churches on Xmas day. Johnathan heard, Azazi heard, IGP heard, SSS DG heard, and yet, it happened.”
On June 17, 2012, he lamented ongoing attacks by insurgents, tweeting:
“No matter how many Muslims are killed, BH will still continue blowing churches. Our govt has refused to be responsive.”
In another tweet from August 28, 2012, Dada criticised the government’s handling of security, reacting to a senator’s comment that churches should beef up protection. He wrote:
“Beef up security in your churches, Sen Enang tells church leaders | what’s the function of the government?”
