The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has advised the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to move fast and diplomatically too with decisive action so as to avert military action in Nigeria being threatened by President Donald Trump and his country – the United States of America.
Pastor Adeboye who recalled that he had given similar counsels in the past to Nigerian leaders over widespread and persistent killings, especially against Christians, without commensurate appropriate response from those that were advised, also urged the government to eliminate terrorists and their sponsors, regardless of whose ox is gored.
The octogenarian preacher gave the advice in a video shared on the X handle of The Real Church Gist on Saturday, where he harped on the need for a more strategic and patriotic approach to national security.
“My next advice to our government, in case there is any of you who can get across to them, when giving orders to the Service Chiefs this time round, we should make it clear to them that they are not only to eliminate the terrorists — they should eliminate their sponsors, no matter how influential they may be,” he said.
“When I say my people, when I say our leaders should move fast, move diplomatically, they have to be and move wisely,” Adeboye added
The revered cleric warned that Nigeria must not depend on foreign powers for assistance in times of crisis, noting that no nation would come to the country’s aid if attacked.
“We must take note of the fact that if America should attack us, China is not coming to defend us. Russia will not come to defend us. All the so-called world leaders will only talk — they will condemn what America has done in the strongest terms. That’s all they will do. Britain is not going to come and help us,” Adeboye said.
He further advised government officials and national leaders to act “fast, wisely, and diplomatically” in addressing the nation’s mounting insecurity challenges, emphasising that this is not a time for political games or empty words.
“This is not the time for joking. This is not the time for grammar. It’s not the time for semantics or arguments. And it’s not the time for saying that it’s not Christian law. Muslims are also involved. The point is that people are dying — innocent people are dying,” he lamented.
The Daily Crucible reports that Adeboye’s counsel came on the heels of the United States President, Donald Trump’s recent warning to the Nigerian government, threatening to stop all US aid and assistance, including taking a military action if the “killing of Christians” remains unabated in the country.
President Trump hinted that he had ordered the Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria as he continued to accuse the nation of violence against Christians — an accusation Nigeria government has repeatedly denied.
In a post shared on his Truth Social account, Trump accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks and said America could intervene militarily to “wipe out” the perpetrators.
Trump’s latest threat followed earlier re-designation of Nigeria as A ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) on his Truth Social media platform on Friday over alleged persecution of Christians in the country. The move, announced through the U.S. State Department, reinstated a classification first introduced during his administration in 2020 but later dropped by his successor President Joe Biden in 2021.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
But the Federal Government had dismissed the remarks, alleging widespread killings of Christians in Nigeria and declaring the country a CPC.
In a recent statement by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the government said Trump’s claims did not accurately reflect the situation in Nigeria.
Also, President Bola Tinubu personally dismissed President Trump’s claims, expressing Nigeria’s commitment to cooperating with the United States and the international community to deepen understanding on protection of Nigerians of all faiths.
