An outspoken cleric from Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has criticised Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, accusing him of diverting United States troops away from Plateau despite earlier calls for international assistance to address attacks in the area.
Dachomo, the Barkin Ladi Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations, made the allegation in a video message released on Friday.
The cleric said he had previously appealed to former United States President Donald Trump to send American troops to Plateau State to help deal with insurgent attacks and killings that he said were targeting Christian communities. According to him, the request came after repeated violence carried out by extremist groups in several parts of the state.
He explained that when the United States later carried out military action, it conducted precision airstrikes in Sokoto State targeting insurgent groups including Islamic State West Africa Province, Boko Haram, and Lakurawa.
After the airstrikes on December 25, 2025, small groups of US troops were reportedly deployed to several northern states. However, Dachomo claimed that Plateau State was not included in the deployment and blamed the decision on the intervention of the National Security Adviser.
He alleged that the security adviser redirected the attention of the United States military toward Sokoto and other Muslim-dominated areas in northern Nigeria instead of Plateau State.
Dachomo further claimed that the deployment ended up benefiting Muslim communities while attacks were still taking place in Christian-dominated areas. He said violence and killings were continuing in parts of Borno State, Kwara State, Kaduna State, Benue State, and Plateau State.
The cleric warned that ongoing violence in the Middle Belt could push local communities to begin defending themselves if the situation does not improve. He also argued that the presence of foreign troops in northern Nigeria is currently benefiting Muslim communities more than the Christian groups that initially called for international help.
