The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has issued a strong call to action, urging all patriotic Nigerians both at home and abroad to collaborate with security forces in ending the persistent insecurity and mass killings plaguing several regions of the country.
Emergency Meeting Addresses National Crisis
This urgent appeal emerged from an emergency executive meeting convened at the fellowship's national headquarters in Lagos. Bishop Francis Wale Oke, the PFN President, declared that the religious body would no longer maintain silence while certain parts of Nigeria remain engulfed in violence.
Bishop Oke emphasized the critical need for patriotic Nigerians and their international allies to partner with the Federal Government to secure the nation and prevent ethnic clashes from escalating further.
Specific Cases Highlight Ongoing Tragedy
The bishop provided disturbing details about the continuing violence, stating that killings persist in Borno, Plateau, and Benue states. He drew parallels to the well-known cases of Leah Sharibu and Deborah in Sokoto, indicating that similar tragedies continue unabated.
"Many of our girls have been kidnapped, while some parents have been forced to give out their daughters as wives to these criminals," Bishop Oke revealed during the address. He expressed frustration that despite repeated appeals to authorities, no substantial action has materialized to address these grave concerns.
Previous Government Engagement Failed
Bishop Oke shared troubling insights from past attempts to engage the federal government, disclosing that he was part of a delegation that met with former President Muhammadu Buhari to address these security challenges.
"We spoke very strongly about this, but it is unfortunate that he completely ignored the main issue we came for," the bishop recounted. "He picked the peripheral matters and left the main issues."
The religious leader described the ongoing violence in stark terms, labeling it as "evil, blood shedding, and mass murder" that cannot be whitewashed by any explanations. He insisted that the time to stop the carnage is now, asserting that Nigerians should be free to live and own property in any part of the country as bona fide citizens.
Call for Immediate Action
The PFN has specifically called on President Bola Tinubu to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's security architecture and ensure justice for victims of ethnic violence. The fellowship urged the current administration to rebuild public trust by guaranteeing that the country's security framework remains uncompromised by criminal elements and ethnic extremists.
The meeting, which gathered PFN leaders from across Nigeria, reaffirmed the organization's commitment to national unity, peace, and the protection of fundamental human rights for all citizens.
