By Isaac Olufemi Ojo
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has sounded a desperate alarm over the deteriorating state of insecurity in the country, declaring that the current wave of violence, banditry, and kidnapping has reached an “intolerable height” that demands immediate federal intervention.
The national president made this call today in a speech read by PFN Vice President Bishop Taiwio Adelakun during a press briefing/rally held at the entrance of Victory International Church, Rehoboth Cathedral, Oluyole Ibadan
The declaration came as the body concluded a three-day national fasting and prayer session on Sunday, May 24, 2026—a day commemorated globally as Pentecost Sunday.
In a strongly-worded address jointly signed by the National President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, and the fellowship’s State Chairmen, the PFN expressed deep anguish over what it described as the “loss of our sense of value for human life and its sanctity” across the Nigerian landscape.
The church leaders lamented that the country has become a theater of “savage killings,” citing specific instances of terror that have left the nation reeling. From the unresolved captivity of Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu to the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto, the fellowship argued that the state’s inaction has emboldened perpetrators of violence.
“Since then, Taraba, Plateau, Benue states, and Southern Kaduna have become daily killing fields. Edo, Kogi, and Ondo states have also not been spared. As of today, several communities in Kwara State have been sacked by rampaging bandits, wielding sophisticated guns and other dangerous weapons,” the PFN stated.
The fellowship did not spare the political class, accusing the elite of engaging in “business as usual” and prioritizing electoral gains over the protection of lives. The PFN particularly condemned the government’s policy of rehabilitating so-called “repentant” insurgents, describing it as an affront to the victims of terrorism.
“We are burdened because this intolerable violence is becoming normal in Nigeria! We are burdened because our valiant Generals and their gallant soldiers are being killed like chickens because our security system has been infiltrated and fatally compromised,” the statement read.
According to the body, the state of affairs has gone beyond mere loss of life, noting that it has effectively fractured national unity, crippled investor confidence, and triggered a mass exodus of the nation’s brightest minds abroad.
Addressing the government directly, the PFN demanded a shift from “empty promises” to “immediate, effective action.”
“We call on the Federal Government to fulfil its constitutional and moral duty of protecting every citizen of Nigeria irrespective of tribe or religion, so that we can truly be ‘a nation where no one is oppressed.’ We urge our government to seek help and partnership from the international community before it is too late,” the fellowship urged.
The church also issued a call to its members nationwide to maintain unity, intensify prayers, and continue to speak out against the menace, declaring that “silence aids the killer and their sponsors.”
The PFN concluded with a prayer for divine intervention, expressing hope that the Almighty would “break the vicious cycles of violence, grant our prayer for the rescue of the captives, and restore peace in our country Nigeria.”
