The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has defended President Bola Tinubu against criticism over worsening insecurity, saying the president has fulfilled his responsibility by issuing directives to the military.
Speaking at the US-Nigeria Faith Heroes Award Gala organised by the Save Nigeria Group in Washington on June 23, Adeboye said those blaming Tinubu for the country’s security challenges were unfair in their assessment of the president’s role as commander-in-chief.
“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.
Drawing a comparison with the United States, he added: “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 the president, Adeboye acknowledged that insecurity had deteriorated and spread to parts of southern Nigeria.
“Things have gone far, far worse than before the bomb came,” he said, referring to the US 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. 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.”
The cleric disclosed that he had discussed the country’s security situation with President Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, urging the president to issue a firm directive to the nation’s security chiefs.
According to him, he advised the president to give military commanders a 90-day ultimatum to eliminate terrorism or resign.
“I told him to tell all the military boys, all the army, navy and air force: ‘You have 90 days. Wipe out this rubbish or resign.’ And then take care of the supporters, the sponsors,” he said.
Adeboye described the sponsors of terrorism as influential and wealthy individuals, including politicians and businesspeople, insisting that tackling them was crucial to ending the violence.
“You know them,” he said.
“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.”
He also called on the United States to collaborate with other countries in supporting Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorism.
