Felix Omobude, the National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, bemoaned the spate of violence in the country, adding that Nigeria was “degenerating into a failed state.”
Omobude lamented that the killing of unsuspecting Nigerians by armed herdsmen and other criminals had gone on, such that it had become a daily affair.
The PFN president spoke during an interview with journalists in Benin, the Edo State capital.
He said, “There is hardly any day that you do not hear of bloodshed, killings, either by Boko Haram through suicide bombing, or herdsmen killings across the country.
“The PFN is worried as Nigeria is degenerating into a failed state.
“Whereas we have a government in office, it appears that this situation is overwhelming our security forces.”
The cleric, who is also the founder of the New Covenant Gospel Church, called on government at various levels to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians, irrespective of their tribes or religions.
“We hold the current administration to their campaign promises of change for the better.
We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his government and the ruling party to take a look at the promises made to Nigerians and make every effort to fulfill them,” Omobude added.
The PFN president faulted the claim by President Muhammadu Buhari that those responsible for the killings were not herdsmen but fighters who had infiltrated the country from outside.
He also described the suspected herdsmen responsible for the killings in the country as terrorists.
Omobude said, “We are amazed that our President can announce that in the UK and US and has not said it at home.
“But even if that was the truth, if someone is using my name to perpetrate evil, I should fight it and stop him from doing so.
“So, if these people (herdsmen) are coming from outside, it is the government’s responsibility to check the borders and fish them out. It is not my responsibility. It (government) should do the needful.
“Honestly, whatever language you use to describe their activity, it all points to terrorism.
“People go out and say that they are cattle rearers, only to bring out AK-47 rifles, kill owners of farms, rape their wives and disappear into the thin air. So, it is terrorism.”
The cleric, therefore, called on President Buhari to take urgent steps in addressing the insecurity in the country.
When asked if the President had not done enough to check the state insecurity, the PFN president said, “I will leave that to Nigerians to decide.
“What the PFN is saying is that it is the responsibility of government to safeguard the people. So, if it were enough, we would not have been crying.
“The cry is all over the place, across party lines. When we are dealing with this issue, we should not be thinking about parties.
“We want it stopped; it does not really matter to us which party is ruling. We want good government. We want peace and security for all Nigerians.”
