The senior cleric in the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) and regional Chairman for the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo taken a swipe at Benue state Governor, His Excellency Hyacinth Alia, over what he alleged as denial of Christian genocide in his state, while lauding an American activist for rebuilding homes of Yelewata survivors.
The fiery Plateau State cleric expressed his displeasure at the blessing and commissioning of 35 houses built by Alex Barbir, an American missionary philanthropist, in Yelewata community, where more than 127 people were murdered by suspected Fulani militia between 13 and 14 June 2025.
“Some of them have relocated even before putting up the doors. You can see children have come back from the IDP [camp]. In fact, this is the agony of Christians in Nigeria, in Benue state, where the governor said there is no genocide,” Rev. Ezekiel alleged.
He added that God used the donor “to build these structures” because “Many people were staying in the IDP camp.”
The cleric further lamented, “Because there is no genocide, there is help from the government to resettle the people, because already, with the body language, they have bargained with the Benue people.”
He also claimed, “They have sold them out to Islamic terrorists,” while describing the rebuilding project as an act of God.
Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo and American missionary philanthropist, Alex Barbir, during the commissioning. Credit: Debby Vandi
“Had it been that God did not use his servant to build these houses to bring back those in IDP camps, they could have remained there.
“We thank our brother who has come back from America to rebuild these houses, and these people can smile today,” he said.
The cleric accused the government of refusing to rebuild the village and return the IDPs from the camp to their homestead, saying “the government refused to hold houses for them.”
To the faithful, he said, “Nigerian Christians, wake up! Wake up! It is easier to destroy our house, but difficult to restore us to our houses so that the insurgents will take over the whole houses.”
Rev. Dachomo in a handshake with Barbir during the commissioning
The activist, however, pleaded with the Nigerian government to “thank this man” who has offered his “resources to become hope to the hopeless [so that] these people can smile.”
“Today, God has truly blessed us. He has provided us with these 35 houses, and we want to give them back to him. This is why we have asked you to come and join us to pray over them,” Rev. Dachomo prayed, while declaring, “We dedicate these houses to Jesus Christ Our Saviour and to the people of Yelewata.”
Highlights of the ceremony were the formal blessing of the houses and an appeal to people of goodwill to contribute to helping the victims to fix their doors and windows.
