The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intensify military operations against bandits and terrorists, warning that the nation’s survival depends on crushing insecurity “without regard for sacred cows.”
Oke made the remarks on Sunday in Ibadan, following the recent announcement by former U.S. President Donald Trump that American forces conducted “deadly airstrikes” against Islamic State-affiliated terrorists in northwest Nigeria.
“Don’t relent until Nigeria is fully secured. Spare no one. Allow no sacred cows. If you don’t bring insecurity down, it will bring this country down,” Oke told journalists.
The cleric dismissed the concept of “repentant terrorists,” stating, “Governance is not a church service. They are not repenting; they want to infiltrate the system to weaken it from within. If they claim repentance, that is between them and their God. The duty of government is justice and security.”
U.S. Strikes Highlight International Dimension.
Oke’s comments came days after Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he had directed “numerous perfect strikes” in northwest Nigeria, targeting ISIS militants who he said had been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” Trump vowed there would be “hell to pay” if attacks continued.
While Nigeria’s federal government has not formally commented on the reported U.S. operation, Oke praised what he called President Tinubu’s “renewed momentum” in tackling insecurity and his willingness to collaborate with international partners.
“We commend the President for moving fast and for cooperating with the United States to flush out these bandits,” Oke said. “This is not a surrender of Nigeria’s sovereignty; it is cooperation to defeat criminals who have turned our country into a killing field.”
Insecurity Called Top National Challenge.
The PFN president described insecurity — not corruption — as Nigeria’s most urgent crisis, and called for national unity in confronting armed groups.
“We should all join hands to end the killings of innocent Nigerians. Anyone who inflicts pain on any Nigerian should be made to face justice. No Nigerian should die needlessly, whether Christian or Muslim,” he said.
Oke expressed confidence that with decisive leadership and public resolve, peace could be restored.
The call reflects growing pressure on the Tinubu administration to adopt more aggressive military and cross-border security partnerships amid persistent attacks in the northwest and other regions.