Rev. Dachomo accuses of Trump bias, vows to go to War

By: Zagazola Makama

The outspoken Christian cleric in Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo has called for ‘WAR’ in the state and also blamed President Donald Trump for bias in deploying United States security asserts in the campaign against the genocide of Christians in Nigeria.

In a footage circulating on social media, the cleric who is the Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, made the call while addressing mourners at the burial of seven persons killed in a reprisal attack at Dorowa Babuje village in the local government.

“Rev. Dachoma was also heard declaring that residents would no longer “run away,” adding that if there was to be a “full-blown war,” they were prepared to defend themselves.

“We are not going to run away, if there will be full blown WAR it will start from today to the day that the God has placed for us. Let them continue to gather, we have chosen to die than to remain burying our brothers.

“My fellow brothers and sisters i am rounding this message so that we can go back and stay and go for war, since the Fulani said we will not rest in plateau, they are not afraid of the security from today we will not be afraid of the security.

The cleric further blamed the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Sultan of Sokoto of alleged bias in security arrangements affecting Plateau State and other Christian-dominated communities in Nigeria, saying, “

In a video circulating online, the cleric questioned the deployment of U.S military in muslims dominated northern regions and alleged neglect of Christian communities.

“We have chosen to die rather than continue burying our brothers,” he said, while calling on community members to remain resolute.

“When I invited Trump to Nigeria to come and help us, when Trump responded, their blueprint was that none of the soldiers of the United States should come to Plateau State,” he said.
“They directed their attention to Sokoto, where the Muslim-dominant area the Muslims are enjoying the coming of Trump.”

He continued: “If I were allowed to say Trump is in Nigeria to protect the Muslims… another batch is in Maiduguri, another batch were deployed in Kaduna and Bauchi. In Kwara, no batch is there. Rev. Dachomo further alleged that Christian communities were being neglected, stating: “The Yorubas were allowed to be killed like chicken. Benue, no army is there.”

He also made allegations against the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, accusing him sabotaging deployment of US forces.

“Why is it that he did not allow the American soldiers to come to Plateau State? They cornered them to please his people.”

The cleric alleged that insurgents who fled military operations elsewhere had relocated to Plateau communities. The insurgents that escaped from Sambisa and from Sokoto are right here in Manda, in Fars, in Okolindiri, Lingerie,” he claimed.

“It is from Lingerie that they came and killed those people, because the real training ground of terrorists is Lingerie.”

Rev. Dachomo also referenced the Sultan in his remarks, alleging what he described as a broader agenda against Christians. “That is Sultan road map to wipe out Plateau Christians and other Christians in Nigeria,” he said.

Despite his strong accusations, the cleric acknowledged the efforts of local security operatives in preventing greater casualties during the recent attack.

“This could have been more than 100 corpses, but God used the security to give us enough protection when they saw the security move quickly,” he said.

Also, Barrister Solomon, President of the Berom Youths, was also heard in a related video expressing the same threat against the existence of Fulani in plateau state. “We can no longer guarantee peace and security on the Plateau if Fulani continue grazing on our land.”he said.

Solomon declared that the Fulani should awaits their response. “Fulani you have taken credit, Fulani You have taken credits,”he said.

Meanwhile, in a subsequent clip, however, he appeared to temper his earlier tone, saying: “Even some security have tagged me for the comments we made yesterday. My life is not more precious than this city. “I will not incite any violence in Plateau, but we deserve to be protected. We deserve it.”he said.

“I’m using this opportunity to call on our people let’s remain calm. Let’s continue as law-abiding citizens. We are not praying for similar things to happen. We are not at war with anybody.”

“The hausa of the Yoruba, the Igbos, and any other person that comes to Plateau should have it at the back of his mind that he will settle peacefully.”

“A Plateau man has never been known for any act of terrorism. But the Fulani have declared war on us, and it is so unfortunate that some people are falling victims of circumstance.”

He also appealed to federal authorities, stating:
“We are calling on Mr. President and the security governor. Please sir, since having security in our domain cannot guarantee our safety, why will it not be relocated to where the bandits are settled? So we will then know when they will come to attack us.”

Zagazola Makama report that Plateau State has witnessed recurring communal and banditry-related violence over the years, with security agencies continuing operations to curb attacks in vulnerable communities.

Rev. Dachomo accuses of Trump bias, vows to go to War

Forensic Team Exhumes 105 Bodies in Probe of 2025 Yelwata Killings

By: Zagazola Makama

A team of federal medical pathologists has exhumed 105 bodies from mass graves in Yelwata community, Guma Local Government Area of Benue, as part of ongoing investigations into the June 13, 2025 attack on the area.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the team, led by Prof. Saad Ahmed from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abuja, arrived in Yelwata on Feb. 23, 2026, alongside operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja.

The sources said the delegation included members of the Presidential Medical Delegation and worked in collaboration with officials of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

According to the sources, locations of the graves were identified on the same day under adequate security provided by the Benue State Police Command.

The exhumation exercise commenced on Feb. 24, during which seven bodies were recovered.

The team continued the exercise on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, exhuming additional remains, bringing the total number of corpses recovered to 105 from 13 mass graves located in and around Yelwata community.

The exercise was concluded on Feb. 26.

Police sources said the exhumation was conducted to facilitate forensic inquests and strengthen evidence in the ongoing prosecution of suspects linked to the killings.

“Seven corpses were initially exhumed by the IRT-led federal investigators for inquest. The exercise continued and further development will be communicated,” a security source said.

The deployment of forensic experts followed proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where nine suspects were arraigned on Feb. 2, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik in connection with the Yelwata attack.

The court had emphasised the importance of forensic evidence to ensure a fair trial and proper determination of culpability.

Security officials said adequate measures were put in place to ensure the exercise was conducted peacefully and without disruption.

The June 13, 2025 attack on Yelwata community reportedly resulted in the deaths of several residents and displaced many others, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for justice.

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had earlier commenced prosecution of suspects arrested in connection with the incident.

Authorities said further updates would be communicated as investigations progress.

Forensic Team Exhumes 105 Bodies in Probe of 2025 Yelwata Killings

26 Militias Reportedly Killed in ISGS Attack in Niger’s Tillabéri Region as the country faces unprecedented security collapse

By: Zagazola Makama

No fewer than 26 members of a local militia were reportedly killed on Feb. 26 during a large-scale attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) in Niger’s volatile Tillabéri Region.

Local sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred in the Anzourou area, where armed assailants targeted militia positions across four villages to Doukou Makani, Doukou Djindé, Doukou Koira-Tegui and Doukou Saraou.

According to preliminary reports, the gunmen carried out coordinated assaults on the communities, resulting in significant casualties among members of the self-defence groups operating in the area.

Residents said the militias had been formed by local communities to protect themselves against recurring attacks by extremist groups operating in the region.

Tillabéri, located in western Niger near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, has been a hotspot of militant violence in recent years, with armed groups frequently targeting both security forces and civilian populations.

Niger is confronting an unprecedented security crisis, with northern regions increasingly falling under the control of armed groups, foreign rebels, and jihadist factions. The state’s territorial integrity is under severe threat, with grave implications for neighbouring countries, including Nigeria.

Since the July 2023 coup, Niger has witnessed a dramatic deterioration in security. Once largely confined to the tri-border area with Mali and Libya, insurgency and criminal networks now operate across vast stretches of the country, establishing quasi-permanent bases, checkpoints, and logistical corridors.

Recent clashes between Libyan rebel factions, including Katibat 604 and the Southern Revolutionaries, deep inside Niger’s territory highlight the scale of the challenge. Reports indicate these operations extend up to 200 kilometres from the border, conducted with helicopters, drones, and ground troops, capturing rebels and consolidating strategic corridors such as the La Salvador Pass a key conduit for arms, illicit goods, and militant movements.

It gathered that the Libyan operations, reportedly claimed by the 604 Brigade, are carried out independently of Nigerien forces. The Nigerien National Army or local security units were absent during these incursions, reflecting the limitations of the Nigerien army in securing its borders. The operation reportedly left five rebels dead and ten detained, including Moussa Worodougou, the younger brother of rebel leader Mahamat Worodougou.

Northern Niger has effectively become a “no man’s land,” with jihadist groups such as ISWAP, EIGS, and JNIM consolidating positions and exploiting weak state presence. Villages and towns, including Dosso, Tillabéri, Tahoua, and parts of the tri-border zone, are increasingly isolated, turning rural areas into hunting grounds for armed actors. Civilians, security personnel, and infrastructure are targeted with IEDs, ambushes, and raids, while law enforcement and army patrols remain sporadic and reactive.

The crisis is compounded by the presence of foreign-backed rebel movements like FACT and CCMSR, operating openly in Niger’s north with tacit protection or coordination with the Niamey junta. Analysts warn that these developments create a permissive environment where armed factions can reorganize, move freely, and threaten regional stability. The situation poses direct implications for Nigeria, particularly in its northern border states, as these corridors facilitate cross-border infiltration, arms smuggling, and militant movement.

Zagazola argue that the Nigerien army faces critical challenges in asserting authority, maintaining supply lines, and controlling territory in the north. Without robust coordination, intelligence-led operations, and international, the continued fragmentation of authority may allow armed groups to entrench themselves further, undermining both national and regional security.

Zagazola stress that the crisis is no longer merely a security issue. It reflects a wider institutional weakness, exposing governance failures, fragile command structures, and the limits of military capacity.

For Nigeria, the porous borders and neighboring instability has been enabling the insurgent groups with sanctuary which complicate the country’s counterterrorism operations, and amplify the risk of cross-border attacks like what we have been witnessing in Kebbi, Sokoto, Kwara and Niger state.

The Nigerien army, despite constrained resources, continues limited patrols and counter-insurgency efforts, but the scale of armed groups’ presence and the sophistication of cross-border networks demand sustained regional and international collaboration.

Zagazola emphasize that failure to address these strategic vulnerabilities risks turning Niger into a permanent sanctuary for militants, with destabilizing consequences across the Sahel and for Nigeria’s northeastern and Northwestern frontier.

26 Militias Reportedly Killed in ISGS Attack in Niger’s Tillabéri Region as the country faces unprecedented security collapse