A group under the banner of Berom Young Warriors, BYW, has issued a stern warning to the Muslim group United Plateau Muslims, UPM, stating that they will be held responsible if anything untoward happens to outspoken clergyman Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo.
UPM had, in a statement on Wednesday, accused Rev. Dachomo of inciting sentiments against Muslims and Fulanis in Plateau State, citing his insistence on an ongoing Christian genocide.
In the statement, jointly signed by the group’s coordinator, Alhaji Jafaar Abbas, and secretary general, Salisu Adamu, UPM claimed that Rev. Dachomo was advancing a narrative designed to demonise Muslims in the state, allegedly to attract grants from international donors and fuel Christian animosity towards Muslims.
“We have watched with keen interest but with restrained consternation the daily demonisation of Muslims, Hausas, and Fulanis by Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, the Barkin Ladi Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), and we wonder if he is the only pastor in Plateau State.
“Every other day, he comes up with different allegations of Muslims and Fulanis killing Christians in the state just to whip up unnecessary sentiments and hatred for Muslims and the Fulani people. Why he does this, we cannot tell.”
UPM further alleged that Rev. Dachomo deliberately attributes every act of violence in Plateau to Muslims and Fulani militias, while downplaying attacks carried out by Christian militias, particularly from the Berom ethnic group.
“We also want to let him know that we have also documented a series of killings of Muslims carried out by Christian militias across the state and will also present the evidence whenever he does so,” the statement added.
In response, BYW, in a statement on Thursday, accused the Muslim group of spreading falsehoods to justify potential attacks on unsuspecting communities in the state.
The statement, signed by BYW’s Director of Press, Peter Jang, claimed that UPM was executing a script designed by its sponsors to target the clergyman.
“We read with anger the statement by a faceless group which calls itself United Plateau Muslims, where they accused our father in the Lord, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, of whipping up sentiments against Muslims and Fulanis over the killing of Christians in the state by their people,” BYW said.
“Everyone knows that 95 per cent of attacks in the state, especially in Berom communities, are carried out by Fulani militias, so to accuse our father of whipping up sentiments is taking our silence for granted.
“We know their antics, which are to come up with baseless allegations to set up a model of attack. But we want to tell them that our calmness over the years should not be mistaken for cowardice. We only show respect for constituted authorities by not taking the law into our own hands.
“We also have the means and willpower to match them fire for fire. This time, we dare them to attack any part of Beromland, and they will see that we can bite back.
“We know their target is Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, but we are issuing this stern warning to them that if anything happens to our daddy, they will know what the Berom youths are capable of.
“We are from a lineage of proud warriors; our forebears were great warriors. They have pushed us to the wall, and we are no longer going to remain docile while they continue to plunder our lands, kill our people, and rape our women. Whoever knows the group should tell them to prepare for war if as little as a hair is cut off from Rev. Dachomo’s head.”
