“Silent Pastors Are the Most Wicked Shepherds” — Zariyi Yusuf Criticizes Church Leaders for Ignoring Christian Killings
Ademola Busayo 
Former national coordinator of Middle Belt Patriots Zariyi Yusuf has criticised Nigerian church leaders for maintaining silence over what he described as the ongoing genocide in the Middle Belt and southern Kaduna regions.
In a post shared on his official X account on Friday, Yusuf rebuked pastors who he said have chosen political correctness over truth while their members continue to be killed, displaced, and violated.
“Dear silent pastor, your members have been sacked from their homes, children have been orphaned, wives have been widowed, and daughters have been violated. Yet, you chose silence or political correctness. What do you plan to preach this Sunday?” he wrote.
In the accompanying 3-minute, 28-second video, Yusuf lamented that many church leaders have turned a blind eye to the suffering of Christians in northern Nigeria.
“I’m just wondering, how do I stand in front of my congregation on Sunday and preach the love of Christ to them, having denied the fact that they are suffering a genocide?” he said.
He described such religious leaders as “the most wicked shepherds ever”, adding that their silence makes them complicit in the atrocities.
Yusuf particularly questioned the leadership of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) for what he called its indifference despite widespread killings of its members.
“To be very honest with you, I don’t know what Ekwa is remaining silent about because across the middle belt, especially on the Plateau and in southern Kaduna, I mean, I don’t know how many people have died that are not members of that church,” he said.
He accused ECWA leaders of collecting tithes and offerings from members while failing to offer consolation or take a moral stance against the attacks.
“How do you take people’s offerings and tithes when they have been sacked from their homes, their wives have been raped, their parents have been killed, and you are saying nothing about it?” he asked.
Yusuf likened the situation to the parable of the Good Samaritan, saying that while “thieves, criminals, and Islamists” have attacked innocent people, church leaders continue to protect their personal interests instead of standing for truth and justice.
The video has since generated widespread reactions on social media, with many users expressing anger over what they called the complicity and hypocrisy of Nigerian church leaders.
One user, @cvickright, wrote, “It is unfortunate that most Church leadership, especially those with mega churches, so-called Orthodox and Pentecostals, lost their voices when it mattered most.”
Another, @JobShagaiyaEsq, said, “It is so sad to see how church leaders have bowed to their political benefactors while their members are dying daily.”
Some commenters, however, warned against turning the issue into a religious conflict, with one user noting that accountability should also extend to political leaders who have failed to secure lives and property.
Yusuf’s remarks come amid growing criticism of both the government and the church for their silence over rising insecurity and targeted killings across Nigeria’s Christian communities.
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Emmanuel Femi Adedayo 
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