Muslims Kill 9 Members of Prominent Pastor’s Family in Targeted Attack
A religious leader, Pastor Ezekiel Dachomo, has vowed to continue speaking out against the persecution of Christians in Nigeria despite suffering a brutal attack that resulted in the deaths of nine family members. The attack was carried out by Fulani gunmen who targeted Dachomo after seeking him out in connection with previous warnings about violence against Christians in Nigeria’s middle Belt region.Survivor James Yohanna recounted how attackers shot and killed multiple family members,including children and a two-month-old baby,while Dachomo faced threats from the terrorists. Nigerian officials and human rights advocates have condemned the attack, describing it as a declaration of war by Islamist Fulani militias aimed at Christian communities. Dachomo has received support from international figures, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, and has called on the U.S. and Nigerian governments to take action to prevent further violence. Despite threats and violence, Dachomo remains committed to his mission, affirming his faith and resolve to continue speaking out for persecuted Christians.
A leading voice calling for action to halt the murders of Christians at the hands of Nigerian Muslims says he will not be silent even after nine family members were slain by terrorists.
Pastor Ezekiel Dachomo, whose warnings about persecution in Nigeria were cited by President Donald Trump, was sought by Fulani gunmen before they killed nine people in the July 11 attack, according to Truth Nigeria.
James Yohanna, one of only three survivors, said that on the night of the attack, “I heard loud bangs at my brother’s door and soon after, I heard my brother scream. It turned out they were trying to break into the house but he ran outside. They shot him in the arm and leg. However, he managed to hide before the person chasing him could get close.”
About 30 minutes later, he said, “I heard gunshots at my son’s door followed by the sound of the door being kicked open. Then I heard my son saying, ‘please don’t harm us.’ But a male voice with a Fulani accent said in Hausa, ‘today you will learn a hard lesson’ after demanding the ‘father of the house.’”
The demand was intended to lead the gunmen to Dachomo.
“When my son failed to answer, they shot him, shot his wife, and shot his two-month-old baby,” Yohanna said.
“At that point I threw my six-year-old daughter through the window and followed, running aimlessly into the bush as one attacker fired several shots at me. When he lost me, he went back into the house and I tried to crawl back, but before I got 20 meters close, they went to the next room where my six daughters were sleeping and I heard automatic gunfire everywhere followed by silence,” he said.
As the attackers left, “One of my daughters, a four-year-old who was apparently terrified, screamed, and one of the attackers marched back and shot her. By the time soldiers arrived, and I was able to make it back to the house, my wife, my son and his wife and two-month-old daughter, and my six daughters lay dead.”
Fom Dalyop Chollom, a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, called the attack a declaration of war.
“What has happened is sad,” Chollom said. “It is a clear manifestation of the fact that these people have declared war on the Christian natives.”
“The Islamist Fulani ethnic militia hate Pastor Ezekiel and targeted him because he is waking up Christians to the reality of what they are facing,” Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, said, according to Fox News.
“Equipping the Persecuted have documented overwhelming evidence that the Islamist Fulani ethnic militia are responsible for the vast majority of killings of Christians in Nigeria. Within the last week alone, over 40 Christians have been killed, and we have been warning that there are major attacks about to occur within the next few days,” he said.
A State Department representative said, “There remains a shocking level of violence against Christians in the Middle Belt committed by Fulani Ethnic Militia.”
“We unequivocally condemn this heinous act. We urge the Nigerian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and take specific steps that will improve security for Christians,” he said.
Noting that Trump has sought to push Nigeria’s government into protecting Christians, Dachomo said, “We ask President Trump to stop the Fulani terrorists from killing our people in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and surrounding regions. These attacks against Christian communities have been going on for years and must be stopped. We need the United States to stand with us.”
In a post on X about the attack, Dachomo said terrorists threatened him after the massacre.
“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 wrote.
“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 Is my crime that I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and refuse to remain silent while innocent people are killed?” he wrote.
To the world
My name is Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo and today I speak not with hatred but with a heart full of pain and faith
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… pic.twitter.com/TmwEaIi0d4
— Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo (@ezekieldachomo0) July 17, 2026
“If that is my crime then I will continue until my last breath,” he wrote. “They may threaten my life but they cannot silence the truth They may kill the messenger but they cannot kill the message.”
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