Lamenting the incessant attacks and insecurity across the country, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has pleaded with the federal government to fulfil its constitutional and moral duty of protecting every Nigeria irrespective of tribe or religion.
Addressing newsmen in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday after three days of prayers and fasting for the country, PFN’s national president, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, noted that it was time the government says “we can truly be a nation where no one is oppressed.”
According to him, this is the first responsibility of governance, adding that, “We urge our government to seek help and partnership from the international community before it is too late. We call on the church in Nigeria to stand together in unity and rise against the evil ravaging our country.
“Cry out in repentance and prayers, calling the God of heaven to intervene in the affairs of our nation, speak with one voice so loudly so that governments at all levels can feel our pain and sorrows and move decisively to stop this evil and defend our faith and our churches.
“We fast and pray because we believe God hears. We gather because unity strengthens our voice. We speak because silence aids the killer and their sponsors.
“We are burdened by Nigeria today because we have lost our sense of value for human life and its sanctity”, Bishop Oke said.
The cleric said the level of banditry, kidnapping, violence, insecurity and savage killings all across the Nigerian landscape had risen to an intolerable height such that every Nigerian should cry out against it to God for divine intervention, and to our governments for immediate and effective action.
He noted that several Chibok girls were still languishing in captivity, years after being massively kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents.
“Leah Sharibu is still shackled in bondage by religious kidnappers because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. And the Nigerian state did nothing.
“Deborah Samuel was burnt to death in Sokoto by a murderous mob simply for mentioning the name of Jesus”, he said.
Since then, he said, Taraba, Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna states have become daily killing fields, while Edo, Kogi, and Ondo states have also not been spared.
He added that several communities in Kwara State have been sacked by rampaging bandits, wielding sophisticated guns and other dangerous weapons. At the same time, innocent people were kidnapped, raped and killed again and again in large numbers in Borno, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna and other states of the federation.
Bishop Wale-Oke said Oyo State had become the latest killing field, culminating in the abduction of several teachers and students, with one of the teachers, Mr Michael Oyedokun, gruesomely beheaded and another one shot dead.
