Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has defended President Bola Tinubu against criticism over insecurity.
Speaking at the US-Nigeria faith heroes award gala organised by the Save Nigeria Group on June 23 in Washington, Adeboye said Tinubu has fulfilled his responsibility by directing the military and should not be expected to fight on the frontlines.
“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),” Adeboye said.
“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.”
Adeboye said he stood by his position despite terrorism creeping closer to his doorstep.
“Things have gone far, far worse than before the bomb came,” he added, citing the US bombing on Islamist terrorists in Nigeria last December.
“Far, far worse… so bad that they are asking: ‘Where is your God?’ That is how bad it is.
“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 said he discussed the country’s security crisis with Tinubu and Oluremi, the first lady, who is also an RCCG pastor.
He said he told the Nigerian leader to issue directives to military officers across the armed forces and set a 90-day ultimatum: “Wipe out this rubbish or resign. And then take care of the supporters, the sponsors”.
The RCCG overseer referred to the sponsors of terrorism as wealthy people.
You know them,” he said in reference to a separate public call to 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 urged the US to work with other countries to help Nigeria combat terrorism.
