Executed Solely Because He was a Pastor: Attorney
By Mike Odeh James
In a brazen and brutal attack, a militant Fulani Ethnic Militia shattered the fragile peace enjoyed in Gombe State when they killed Reverend Bala Galadima, a Christian pastor, in Yalmatu Deba County, Gombe State, Northeast Nigeria.
Rev. Galadima was the lead pastor of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Lubo.
Yalmatu Deba County is located 26 miles southeast of Gombe, the state capital, and its population comprises Christians and Muslims, with farming as the major occupation, and is predominantly inhabited by the Kerawa ethnic group.
Eyewitness Felicia Kato, a resident of Lubo, recounted the horrific events to TruthNigeria.
“At 1 a.m., seven tall men in white flowing (jellabiya) gowns, armed with AK-49 rifles, stormed Lubo, shooting sporadically into the air.”
The terrorists targeted the Puma family, harassing the head of the house. They held a 9-year-old boy for ransom before stealing (₦322,000.)$214.85.
Kato, who lives close to the slain cleric’s residence, witnessed the chaos from her window.
“Everyone scampered for safety, but I could see and hear the terrorists,” she said.
She continued, “The next thing they did was ask for directions to Rev. Bala’s house.”
“Upon arriving at Rev. Bala’s house, they scaled the fence, entered the compound, and removed the window to gain access to the room,” Kato added.
According to Kato, the assailants then demanded money, but Rev. Bala replied that he had none.
“He offered them grains instead, but they rejected the offer and shot him three times,” Kato recounted.
Shockwaves Among Christian Communities in Gombe
The killing of the Christian cleric has sent shockwaves and fear through the large Christian communities in Gombe State, with many Christians leaving Lubo, where the murder took place.
“Though located in Nigeria’s volatile northeast region—where Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West Africa (ISWAP) have wreaked havoc—Gombe until recently has remained insulated from violence,” Rev. David Ayuba Azzaman, an authority in Christian-Muslim relations, told TruthNigeria.
Azzaman further explained that Christians in Gombe, who constitute about 40 percent of the state’s population, have suffered various forms of marginalization by the state government in employment and equal representation.
Governor and Police React: Label Attack as Armed Robbery
In his reaction, State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed deep sorrow over Rev. Galadima’s killing but quickly stated that the murder was a criminal act and not related to terrorism.
“I want to reassure the good people of Gombe State that the government remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring their safety and security. We will continue to take decisive measures and deploy superior force to eliminate criminal elements wherever they may be hiding,” Governor Yahaya declared.
The Police Command echoed the governor’s stance, categorizing the killing as an armed robbery incident, yet without conducting a thorough investigation.
Community Leaders, Advocates Say Fulani Terrorists Responsible
Community leaders and Christian clerics in Lubo have rejected the police and government’s claim that the attack was an act of robbery. They insist the attack was carried out by Fulani terrorists and are calling for a thorough investigation.
Elder Barnabas Karasa of ECWA Church, Lubo, told TruthNigeria that the attackers spoke Fulfulde, the language of the Fulani people.
“This was not just an ordinary attack. They came late at night, all armed with AK-49 rifles, and wore flowing jellabiyas (traditional Arabic clothing),” he said.
“What struck me the most was that they spoke Fulfulde and operated like their kinsmen in the Northwest. They also kidnapped a 9-year-old boy, threatened to take him away, but released him after a ransom was paid.”
Karasa recounted how the attackers killed a local man named Galadima.
“At Galadima’s residence, they didn’t search for money. They simply shot him dead after he refused to give them money,” he said.
Unreported Attacks on Christians in Gombe
Maxwell Yerima, a lawyer and advocate for religious freedom, also told TruthNigeria that the attackers were not robbers but terrorists targeting Christians.
“The killers of Rev. Bala were definitely not armed robbers. They were terrorists out to destroy Christians and Christianity in the state,” Yerima said.
He dismissed suggestions that Rev. Bala was targeted because of his preaching.
“Far from it. The late Rev. Bala Galadima was murdered just because he was a pastor. The killers specifically asked for his house. When they found him, they asked for money. He had none, so he offered them grains. They rejected it and shot him,” he explained.
Yerima pointed out that Rev. Bala was the only person killed in the village that night.
“It was pure persecution against the church—unprovoked,” he said.
He also revealed that this was not an isolated case.
“Another pastor was visited by the same group of Fulani bandits in Tunfure the same night Galadima was killed. This pastor was only saved because his gatekeeper told them his boss was not around,” Yerima said.
“There have been similar incidents in the past. Years ago, another Reverend from ECWA 2 Gombe was tied to an electric pole and suffocated to death,” Yerima went on to say.
“On December 25, 2024, 22 Christians were injured when a Muslim driver crashed his truck into a crowd of Christians celebrating Christmas in Tunfure, and the state government dismissed it as an accident.”
“I think in less than three months, Christians in Gombe have been targeted—some killed, some injured,” he concluded.
Boko Haram / Fulani Terrorists Moving Into Gombe
Stakeholders such as Karasa and Yerima also noted that the killing of Christians and attacks on them in Gombe indicate that Boko Haram, Fulani ethnic militias, and other jihadist groups are gradually moving into the state, yet the state government has not publicly acknowledged it.
“When Boko Haram members come to an area, they first start by killing Christians or attacking churches. The authorities usually do nothing until the problem grows.”
“Similarly, Fulani militias follow the same pattern. Today, we are witnessing such events,” Karasa noted.
Government Denial
Despite these testimonies, the government continues to insist that Rev. Bala’s murder was a robbery.
“They know it was not,” Yerima argued. “Robbers wouldn’t invade a village and enter just one or two houses.”
Christian residents remain anxious, fearing more targeted attacks are planned while authorities downplay the situation.
Mike Odeh James is a Conflict Reporter for TruthNigeria.
