The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has urged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government to go beyond fighting terrorists on the battlefield but also target those sponsoring them, no matter how influential they may be.
Speaking during the November Holy Ghost Service at the Redemption City Campground, Adeboye said, “When giving orders to the service chiefs this time around, he should make it clear to them they are not only to eliminate the terrorists but also eliminate the sponsors, no matter how influential they may be.”
He called on President Tinubu to act swiftly and strategically to end the ongoing killings and restore peace in the country.
“What should we do now? If I was asked to make suggestions, I will say quietly to our government: move fast, move diplomatically, move wisely. Find a way to convince the President of America to please delay his actions for about 100 days and then come home and tell our security chiefs to get rid of these terrorists within 90 days or resign.”
Adeboye said a similar directive was once issued by former President Muhammadu Buhari but was not properly enforced.
“There was a President, Buhari, who issued such an order. He called the service chiefs together and said, ‘Get rid of these Boko Haram people or resign.’ He ran with that advice, but he did not follow through because he gave the order as the Commander, but he did not follow up. The work was not done after three months, so I went to see him. I asked him, ‘Why did you not proceed with your threat?’ One thing came out of the meeting which will lead me to the advice.”
The cleric warned that Nigeria must act wisely and diplomatically, especially in its dealings with major world powers, stressing that no country would come to its aid if an international conflict arises.
“When I say our leaders should move diplomatically, we must take note of the fact that if America should attack us, China is not coming to defend us. Likewise Russia and Britain. All the so-called world leaders, they will talk and condemn what America has done, but they won’t help us.”
He added that the country could no longer afford to waste time arguing over the nature of the ongoing crisis while innocent lives continue to be lost.
“This is not the time to joke. This is not the time for grammar, not time to argue, is it suicide or kidnap? This is not the time to say it’s not Christians alone, Muslims are also involved. Innocent people are dying.”
Adeboye said he was disturbed by a section of a recent speech by President Tinubu, whom he referred to as his in-law, where he (Tinubu) claimed that the security situation in Nigeria had improved.
“I almost spoke last month when I heard the speech of my in-law (Tinubu), particularly that section that spoke about security. I heard him saying, all is well now, that displaced people have returned to their villages. I almost said the one who wrote that speech does not like him. Somebody wrote it, but it was the President who read it. There are several people around Tinubu who are not telling him the truth. The following day we read that a traditional ruler was killed in Kwara or Kogi.”
He said while Tinubu inherited the country’s security problems, he must now focus on getting results rather than rhetoric.
“Our President inherited this problem. I am an applied mathematician; I am only interested in getting the problem solved.”
Adeboye also called for diplomatic engagement with the United States, saying the Nigerian government should appeal for more time to deal with the crisis.
“Let the government use diplomatic methods to convince Trump to give us 100 days of grace to call our service chiefs to perform within three months or resign. Now, where do you come in?”
He explained that his appeal for diplomacy was rooted in experience and faith, recalling a time when Christians and Muslims lived peacefully together before politics divided them.
“If I am asked to make suggestions I will say quietly to the governments to move wisely, diplomatically. I have cousins. There were times in Nigeria when Christians and Muslims were living together. I have families that are Muslims till date. When I was little, I ate sari with them, and I still eat my breakfast, but the issue of religion started when politics came into religion.”
Adeboye said he had long made efforts behind the scenes to advise national leaders on security and unity.
“All the presidents who were around when this trouble started, whatever I discussed is top privacy. I have done my best behind the scene, but as I have always told you, you can only advise a Commander-in-Chief; you cannot command him. But I have tried. God is my witness.”
Concluding his message, he expressed faith that peace would eventually return to Nigeria.
“I shared with you, my children, that God said this will be a remarkable year, that the wind blowing last year will be more violent this year. Any time we have meetings like this, God picks the topic. By this time next week, we will be having the Holy Ghost service in Abuja. He gave us the theme, ‘Fear not,’ that months ago before Trump spoke. One way or the other, there will be peace again in Nigeria.”
