By Paul Joseph
United States President Donald Trump has triggered widespread international reactions after sharing a disturbing video showing Nigerian cleric Ezekiel Dachomo conducting a mass burial for victims of a deadly terrorist attack in Plateau State.
The emotional footage, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account without any accompanying caption, captured the Church of Christ in Nations pastor mourning over dozens of victims laid to rest in a mass grave following the attack.
In the video, the visibly distressed cleric appealed directly to the international community, particularly the United States and the United Nations, to intervene in the ongoing killings of Christians in parts of Nigeria.
“Please tell Trump to save our lives in Nigeria. They are killing Christians in Nigeria. They are massacring Christians,” Dachomo said during the burial ceremony.
Trump’s decision to share the footage came barely 24 hours after reports emerged that Nigerian and American forces jointly carried out a military operation that reportedly eliminated senior ISIS commander Abu-Bilal al-Manuki alongside several extremist fighters.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised the operation, stating that American and Nigerian troops successfully tracked and neutralised the ISIS leader accused of coordinating attacks across the region, including assaults targeting Christian communities.
According to Hegseth, the operation demonstrated America’s willingness to confront terrorist groups threatening innocent civilians and religious communities worldwide.
This latest development has reignited global debate surrounding insecurity and religious violence in Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt and northern regions where attacks by armed groups and insurgents continue to claim lives.
While some foreign commentators and advocacy groups have described the violence as targeted persecution against Christians, the Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims of “Christian genocide,” maintaining that the crisis is driven by terrorism, banditry, and broader security challenges affecting multiple communities.
Trump had previously redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over issues relating to religious freedom and has repeatedly warned of stronger military action against terrorist groups operating across West Africa.
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