A group under the auspices of Plateau Fulani Like Minds (PFL) has reacted to widespread allegations that outspoken clergyman Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo has been marked for assassination by some Islamic extremists and bandits within one week over his insistence that Christians are being killed in Plateau State.
The Anonymous Group, a decentralized international online collective known for its “hacktivism,” which involves cyberattacks and online protests against entities such as governments, had in a post on its Facebook page on Friday raised an alarm claiming that Rev. Dachomo has been marked for elimination.
In the post, the Anonymous Group said that some Islamic terrorists and bandits had issued orders to assassinate Rev. Dachomo within the next seven days, believing he was responsible for Trump’s intervention.
“Photos of Pastor Dachomo Bwede Ezekiel, a man of God, have been circulated among Islamic terrorists and bandits in the former country. They have issued orders to assassinate him within the next seven days, believing he is responsible for Trump’s intervention.
The militants are furious that their livelihoods and their very lives are now in jeopardy and are being masterminded by this man. The instructions are, ‘Kill him and cut his head off,’” the group warned.
Rev. Dachomo himself had, in several Facebook posts and videos, claimed that he had been receiving death threats through calls and messages, but insisted that he is not afraid of death as long as he is standing for the truth.
In one of such posts, he said, “They have been threatening me everywhere, even on social media. They even threatened to kill me during mass burials. They did the same to Senator Gyang Dantong. He was killed during a burial. They have vowed to kill me. Even the Nigerian Army issued a press release against me, accusing me of inciting people. But they are the ones inciting the Muslims against us by refusing to make arrests.”
However, in a statement signed on Saturday by the Chairman of the Fulani group, Usman Balarabe, the PFL said the man of God has been riding on the crest of violence in Plateau State to deceive those they describe as his gullible followers to gain popularity for himself.
Balarabe stated that it was hilarious that Rev. Dachomo is the only Christian cleric in the state who has taken it upon himself to whip up sentiments against the Fulani people whenever there is an attack in any part of the state, and that he always blames the Fulanis as the perpetrators of such attacks.
He noted that the way Rev. Dachomo is going is akin to giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
“We, the Plateau Fulani Like Minds, have noticed with great dismay the way a respected clergyman, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has been whipping up sentiments every day, claiming that he has been receiving death threats from Fulani people and other Islamic groups,” Balarabe said in the statement.
“However, we want to remind Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo that as far as the Fulani people in Plateau State are concerned, no one is planning to kill him. He is just trying to give a dog a bad name to hang it by making his gullible followers think that Fulani people want to kill him.
We would like Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, if he has the consciousness of a true man of God, to make public the threat messages he has been receiving.
He should also publish the names of individuals and groups that have been threatening him for the world to see.
We respect Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo and hold him in very high esteem, but he is gradually crossing the line with his regular allegations that the Fulani people in Plateau State want to kill him.
But the big question is this. Why would we want his death? For the avoidance of doubt, the Fulani people are peaceful.
We accept that there are criminal elements among us, just like there are criminals among the Berom, Tarok, Mwaghavul, Irigwe, Angas, Afizere, and other tribes in Plateau State. Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo only picks on Fulanis to accuse them of crimes.
This ethnic generalization has got to stop. We are no longer comfortable with the way the reverend keeps accusing the Fulani people of planning to kill him. As far as we are concerned, we are not in any way planning evil against him.
We also call on security agencies to call him to order, as we will not continue to keep quiet while he disparages our ethnic group at every opportunity he has,” Balarabe stated.
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