There is no doubt that the biggest challenge facing Nigeria right now as a nation is insecurity. The daily loss of human lives especially in the northern part of the country has continued to attract global attention and raise questions about the capability of our military forces to combat terrorism and banditry. Indeed, it appears the government is doing everything it possibly can to fight and defeat these rampaging bandits and terrorists but their best has simply not been good enough. In the last couple of months, there has been a frightening increase in the volume of attacks on Christians. The death toll keeps rising, the attacks remain brutal, senseless, unending. And what’s more, there’s no telling when it would end because the killers are getting more emboldened by the day. They strike without fear of running into trouble with the military troops. They strike with reckless abandon, knowing they have very powerful forces in government backing them up.
One man of God that has been very vocal lately about the attacks and senseless killings of Christians in the country is Reverend Adetunji Adeonigbagbe, the founder and leader of the Celica Church of Christ Worldwide. Saying Reverend Adeonigbagbe has been unhappy with the mindless killings of Christians in the northern region would be putting it mildly. He has been visibly disturbed and saddened by the massacre of Christian worshippers. He is pained. He is worried. And he is upset with the government for failing to acknowledge that what is going on is actually a Christian genocide and not that terrorists are killing both Christians and Muslims as the government would like people to believe.
In this no holds barred interview with the Publisher of Prime Citizens.com.ng, WALE LAWAL (08037209290), Reverend Adeonigbagbe expresses his disappointment with the Nigerian government and calls for urgent strategic military invasion to arrest the situation. He also urges the government to enable Christians defend themselves by making guns available for the public to acquire so they can defend themselves. Enjoy excerpts of the interview.
How excited were you
when you heard the news that the United States military would come in to
support the Nigeria military in its fight against terrorists? Do you think this
would make a huge difference in the fight against terror?
Let me put it this way, there is nothing wrong with the US government coming to offer us military support. I didn’t see anything wrong in that, unlike the narrative people were peddling about. I don’t see it as a slap on us, the citizens, but maybe it’s a slap on the government. I was happy to hear the US government struck a terrorists camp and killed thousands of terrorists. But I was sad to see that what we could not achieve in a long time, in less than two weeks after the American troops arrived, they achieved it. They attacked a major base of these terrorists and bandits and killed them. What this shows is that the government knows where these killers are hiding and who the powerful people behind them are. I still insist the government is not being truthful about this insecurity issue.
How can a whole Nigeria armed forces be powerless, helpless before ordinary bandits and terrorists? The same military that fought the civil war? The same military that led the ECOMOG during the Liberian civil war? When Nigeria was at its peak in terms of military strength, we were the strongest in Africa. We were integral in the liberation of South Africa. But today, where are we? And we still call ourselves giant of Africa? Don’t get me wrong, I am not blaming this government alone, I am also blaming the government in power when this insecurity problem started. So, why won’t I not be happy that what our government cannot achieve, the US is already achieving.
I still recall when Obasanjo was in government. When members of a community killed some soldiers in Odi, Obasanjo ordered soldiers to go there and level that community. This same Obasanjo helped a country in Africa restore its ousted president who was democratically elected by the people. He restored democracy in that country, so what then are we talking about?
As a spiritual leader
and father, sir, what is your advice to Christians at this critical time that
they have become targets of terrorists and bandits?
I can only ask that we continue to pray. I know the God we are serving, He will definitely fight for us. I want to assure all the Christians in the north that I stand firmly with them in prayer. I am also assuring them that I am relentlessly praying for them so that peace will reign in the north. They should not be dismayed or distracted from their faith. In the bible, the Apostles were killed, but they could not kill Christianity. Some of the Apostles were beheaded, some were shot dead, but that didn’t stop Christianity. So, we should be firm in our faith and should not let anything distract us from serving the God of light.
I also make a passionate appeal to all Christians all over the world to stand firm behind us in this battle. I also want to talk to my brothers in Islam, the ones who are very upright and tolerant religious leaders, to continue to stand firmly in the fight against terrorists and bandits. I also want to tell Nigerians that our government does not care about us, otherwise, if they do, they would not be concentrating right now on the coalition of parties. Defections of party members should not be the focus for now. The focus should be how the opposition can come together, carrying the Nigerian people along and confront the government and say no to these killings. If politicians from the north, from the south, gather together at Eagle Square, and say we are not here to campaign or talk politics, but we are here to tell the government in power that enough is enough, these killings have to stop! That is when I will know they truly want to serve. But what are they doing instead? They’re having endless political meetings, and it’s all about positioning themselves for 2027, nothing else! So, it’s all about them, not us.
Let me ask you a question, Wale, when these big political parties hold their convention at Eagle Square, do the bandits go there to disturb them? But they go to churches always and kill people there. What that simply shows is that our politicians are in connivance with these killers. Our safety is not their priority, all they want is to have access to the national cake through the Nigerian government, nothing more.
Do you support, sir,
that Christians should begin to carry arms and defend themselves when they go
to church?
Wale, let us ask ourselves, how many Christians can afford to buy guns? Are guns cheap? Even the government has not given Christians the licence to carry guns and protect themselves. Ordinary Christians can’t afford to acquire guns, may be the rich ones in business or in government, or even in politics, but regular Christians cannot afford it to protect themselves. They are just saying to Christians, defend yourselves, arm yourselves,’ but how many can really afford to buy guns?
Our armed forces alone cannot protect us in this country. We have probably less than 5 million soldiers and armed personn
el protecting over 240 million people, that’s going to be a difficult job to do, so why don’t you just legalise guns and let people protect themselves. Imagine if you hear some people creeping into your house in the dead of night, maybe they’re armed robbers, and you throw one of these Christmas explosives people call Banger into the air through your window, they will take to their heels, thinking you have heavy ammunition to fight them. That’s exactly how these bandits will flee when they realise we have fire arms to protect ourselves.
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