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By Beifoh Osewele
Foremost cleric and General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has defended President Bola Tinubu against growing criticism over the worsening insecurity across the country, saying Nigerians should not expect him to wear “khaki to fight” insecurity.
Addressing concerns over the escalating wave of terrorism, kidnappings, and violent attacks across the country at the US-Nigeria faith heroes award gala organized by the Save Nigeria Group in Washington, D.C., on June 23, Adeboye said Tinubu should only give instructions on how to deal with insecurity in Nigeria and cannot be blamed for failing to personally confront terrorists on the battlefield.
“I need to make this one clear: I don’t support those who are accusing the president of not doing enough. When the commander-in-chief has given instructions to his subordinates, he has done his bit. You don’t expect him to go and put on khaki and (fight),” he declared.
Drawing a comparison with the United States, Adeboye cited President Donald Trump as an example of how commanders-in-chief execute military decisions without personally taking part in combat.
“When my friend Trump gives instructions to go and bomb anywhere, he doesn’t leave the White House.
“He has done his bit. ‘I hereby command, bomb Iran’, and then he goes to his bedroom and sleeps. The rest is left to the supporters.”
Despite defending Tinubu, the cleric admitted that Nigeria’s security crisis had deteriorated significantly, revealing that terrorist activities had spread from northern Nigeria into the southern part of the country, including areas close to him.
“Things have gone far, far worse than before the bomb came,” he said, referring to the United States’ bombing of Islamist terrorists last December.
“Far, far worse… so bad that they are asking: ‘Where is your God?’ That is how bad it is.
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“The terrorism, kidnapping, and so on that were in the north are now even at my doorstep. They have come all the way down to the south. And, of course, the sponsors, they are all known, and they are still moving about freely.”
Adeboye disclosed that he had personally discussed the country’s worsening security situation with President Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi, who is also a pastor in the RCCG.
According to him, he urged the president to issue a strict ultimatum to military commanders across the armed forces.
“I told him to tell all the military people: ‘You have 90 days. Wipe out this rubbish or resign.’ And then take care of the supporters, the sponsors.”
Adeboye maintained that the real architects of terrorism were not the gunmen carrying out attacks but the influential individuals funding and supplying them.
“You know them,” he said, referring to an earlier public appeal directed at the presidency.
“Some of them are businessmen. Some of them are politicians. Go after them. Because if you do not deal with those who are supplying these people with arms and ammunition, and most of the time, when they go about, they go about on motorcycles, if we don’t go after the sponsors, the problem will continue.”
Adeboye also called on the United States and other members of the international community to strengthen cooperation with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.
He stressed that defeating insurgency would require targeting those financing violent groups rather than focusing solely on the fighters.
