CANAN Writes Tinubu, Demands Protection for Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo

The Christian Association of Nigerian Americans (CANAN) has written an urgent letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling on the Federal Government to protect vulnerable communities across the country and provide immediate security for Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, a prominent Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) leader in Plateau State.

In a letter dated July 27, 2026, and made available to journalists, CANAN President Dr. Banjo Olaniyan expressed deep grief over the persistent violence in Nigeria, urging the government to stem the tide of killings, maiming, mass displacements, abductions, and property destruction.

Threat to Religious Leader Following Family Tragedy

Dr. Olaniyan revealed that the advocacy comes on the heels of a devastating tragedy involving Rev. Dachomo, an outspoken advocate for victims of violence in Plateau State, who recently lost nine extended family members in a single overnight attack.

“Behind that number are fathers, mothers, children, relatives, dreams, and futures violently extinguished,” Olaniyan wrote. “This is not merely another security statistic. It represents a devastated family and another community forced to bury its people.”

Reports indicate that Rev. Dachomo has also received explicit threats to his life. Warning that Nigeria must not wait until another vital voice is silenced before taking action, Olaniyan stressed: “Freedom of speech and freedom of religion mean little when citizens fear assassination for speaking about the suffering of their communities.”

Mass Killings Continue in Kaduna State

The appeal comes amid a fresh wave of violence in the region. On July 27, 2026, armed attackers invaded Naridon village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing at least 30 people, including eight children, and leaving four others critically injured.

Local residents reported that the assailants opened fire indiscriminately and set homes ablaze. Security forces reportedly arrived hours after the assault had ended. With no group claiming responsibility, CANAN called for an immediate, transparent investigation.

Directing a poignant query to the administration, Olaniyan asked:

“Mr. President, how many more communities must bury their children? How many more families must sleep in the bush because they are afraid to remain in their ancestral homes? How many more Nigerians must die before the protection of vulnerable communities becomes an unmistakable national emergency?”

Four Demands for Immediate Presidential Action

CANAN outlined four key requests for President Tinubu’s administration:

• Special Security for Target Individuals: Provide immediate, high-level protection for Rev. Dachomo, his family, his church, and others facing credible threats. All documented threats submitted to security agencies must be treated as actionable intelligence.
• Proactive Protection for High-Risk Communities: Establish enhanced, preventive security deployments across Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, and other affected states to prevent attacks before they happen, rather than arriving after communities are destroyed.
• Compensation and Reconstruction: Establish a Special Victims Compensation, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Initiative to support bereaved families, the disabled, widows, orphans, and displaced persons, while funding the rebuilding of homes, places of worship, and local economies.
• Prosecution of Perpetrators and Sponsors: Conduct thorough investigations into the attacks on Rev. Dachomo’s community and the Naridon massacre. All perpetrators, financiers, weapons suppliers, and collaborators must be brought to justice regardless of ethnic, religious, or political affiliations.