The United States has strongly condemned the killing of nine members of a pastor’s family in Plateau State, calling on Nigerian authorities to hold those responsible to account.
In a statement posted on social media, the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs described the attack as “horrific” and expressed deep alarm over ongoing violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
Washington confirmed it had raised the incident directly with Nigerian officials, emphasizing that urgent action was needed to protect civilians and prevent further bloodshed.
The statement reaffirmed the US commitment to supporting Nigeria in tackling terrorism and violent extremism, adding that all citizens must be able to practice their faith safely.
The intervention follows a midnight raid on July 12 in Kum village, Riyom Local Government Area, where gunmen killed nine members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old infant.
The attackers, linked to armed militias, reportedly called out the pastor’s name before opening fire on his relatives.
Rev. Dachomo, a regional leader of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), said the assault was the latest in a series of targeted attacks against his family due to his outspoken advocacy against local violence. He revealed that his grandmother and uncle were killed in previous raids, and that he recently received a written death threat following the latest killings.
Plateau State has faced years of recurring violence fuelled by complex land disputes between farming communities and pastoralists, ethnic tensions, and attacks by armed groups, which have left thousands dead and displaced despite increased security operations.
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