“He Has Crossed the Dangerous Line”: Bashir Ahmad Fires Warning to Reverend Dachomo Over Comment on Islam.
The war of words between a Plateau State cleric and a former presidential aide has taken a new turn, with Bashir Ahmad warning Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo to tread carefully after the pastor reportedly made comments about Allah that many Muslims find deeply offensive.
Ahmad, who served as a media aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, has called on security agencies to step in and caution the outspoken pastor over what he described as repeated insults against Islam.
The trouble started when a video began circulating online showing Reverend Dachomo speaking during what appeared to be a protest against the killing of Christians in Plateau State. In the video, the cleric, who is a regional leader of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, made strong statements about Allah that have since gone viral .
In the video, Dachomo and some supporters could be seen carrying placards with messages like “Stop Christian Genocide” and “Christian Lives Matter.” The pastor was heard saying that Christians would never bow to Allah or convert to Islam. He described Allah in harsh terms, linking the phrase “Allahu Akbar” to violence against Christians.
According to him, when members of certain groups chant “Allahu Akbar” before attacking people, it is done so that Allah will “suck blood.” He also insisted that Christians do not engage in killing because their faith does not command them to do so .
The video quickly spread across social media platforms, drawing mixed reactions from Nigerians. Some defended the pastor, pointing to the pain and loss he and his community have suffered over the years. Others condemned his choice of words, saying it was disrespectful to over a billion Muslims worldwide .
In a series of posts on his X handle (formerly Twitter), Bashir Ahmad did not hide his anger. He described the pastor’s comment as a great injustice and one of the highest forms of provocation against Muslims .
“It is a great injustice to us for a Christian religious leader, that Pastor Ezekiel, to refer to our Creator as a ‘bloodsucking demon’ (A’uzubillah). Such a statement is extremely offensive and the highest forms of provocation against the beliefs of billions of Muslims,” Ahmad wrote .
He went further to accuse the pastor of having a pattern. According to him, Dachomo has for years made statements aimed at provoking the Muslim community, hoping to trigger a reaction that he could later use to gain sympathy, seek asylum abroad, or attract financial support from Western audiences .
Ahmad noted that despite these provocations, Muslims in Nigeria have chosen the path of restraint and refused to give the pastor the attention he seeks. But he warned that this latest comment crosses a dangerous line.
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“Now resorting to insulting the Almighty crosses the dangerous line. While I am confident he will not get the reaction he desires, it is still important that our security authorities take note and caution him against such reckless and inflammatory utterances,” Ahmad added .
The debate did not end with Ahmad’s post. Other public figures and social media users have since joined the conversation, taking different positions.
Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani also weighed in, warning the pastor against comments that could be seen as insulting to Islam. He argued that such statements risk deepening division in a country where religious tensions can quickly get out of hand. According to him, religious leaders should promote their faith in ways that respect the beliefs of others .
But not everyone agrees with the calls for caution. Dr. Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya, a British-Nigerian doctor and social media influencer, fired back at Bashir Ahmad in a post that has also gone viral.
“Dear Bashir, This your post, and your reaction, is exactly why that man said what he said,” Ogunsanya wrote. “A man who has lost his entire family to barbaric bigoted murderers who kill in the name of your god, you are shocked that the man will call him a bloodsucking demon”.
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She went on to reference the case of Deborah Samuel, a 22-year-old female student who was killed in Sokoto in 2022 over allegations of blasphemy. “A young 22-year-old girl was hunted, beaten, stoned and burnt alive by demonic cursed animals in Sokoto. All recorded live on video and broadcast to the whole world to see. The pathetic demonic animals who committed this atrocity proudly did it in the name of allah. Yet you are shocked that allah is called a bloodsucking demon,” she added .
Lekan Olayinka, a career coach, also came to the pastor’s defense. He argued that those attacking Reverend Dachomo have not experienced the kind of horrors that Christian families in some parts of Nigeria have faced. He said many families have lost loved ones to attackers who scream “Allahu Akbar” while carrying out their attacks .
Who Is Reverend Dachomo?
For those who are just hearing about him, Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo is not new to controversy. He has been a vocal critic of the Nigerian government and has repeatedly spoken out against what he describes as the killing of Christians in Plateau State and other parts of the Middle Belt .
In the past, he has threatened to take the Nigerian government to the International Criminal Court over alleged genocide against Christians. He once claimed to have compiled a list of Christians killed and churches destroyed since 2010, which he planned to present to the ICC and the United States government.
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He has also criticized the deployment of U.S. troops to Nigeria, alleging that they were sent to Muslim-dominated areas like Sokoto, Borno, Kaduna and Bauchi, while Plateau State was neglected. According to him, this shows bias against Christian communities .
The Pain Behind the Words
What many people may not know is the personal loss that fuels Dachomo’s anger. He has spoken publicly about how members of his family have been killed and how his church was burnt down. He has also claimed that some of his church members have suffered the same fate .
This context is important, according to those who defend him. They argue that a man burying members of his community, victims of violent attacks, cannot be expected to speak like someone sitting in a comfortable office far from the danger .
As one commentator put it on The News Chronicle, “A pastor burying victims of violence is speaking from the depths of loss, not from a place of political calculation” .
The debate raises difficult questions that Nigeria has not been able to answer for decades. How do you balance free speech with religious sensitivity? When does grief become an excuse for offensive language? And who decides where the line is?
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Bashir Ahmad has called on security agencies to caution the pastor. But so far, no official statement has come from the police or any government body. This silence leaves many wondering whether the government has any clear policy on such matters .
Meanwhile, the online debate continues. Some are calling for Dachomo’s arrest. Others say arresting him while leaving others who have made inflammatory statements free would be unfair. A few are simply asking for calm, warning that words alone should not be allowed to tear the country apart .
For now, Reverend Dachomo has not responded to Bashir Ahmad’s statements. But if his past actions are anything to go by, this may not be the last Nigerians will hear from him on the matter.
One thing is clear: in a country where religion runs deep and emotions run high, words have power. And when those words are spoken by leaders on both sides, the ripples can be felt far beyond the platforms where they are first shared.
“He Has Crossed the Dangerous Line”: Bashir Ahmad Fires Warning to Reverend Dachomo Over Comment on Islam.
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