The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, has urged President Bola Tinubu to engage diplomatically with US President Donald Trump regarding allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Trump recently directed the US Department of Defence to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria, warning the Nigerian government to end the “killing of Christians” and describing Nigeria as a “disgraced country.”
The Nigerian government, however, has consistently denied claims of a Christian genocide.
Speaking during the November Holy Ghost Service at Redemption City on Friday, Adeboye advised Tinubu to “move fast and wisely” to persuade Trump “to delay his actions for about 100 days.” He also urged the federal government to expose the sponsors of terrorism in the country, regardless of their influence.
“In my usual quiet way, I have related with all the presidents who were around when this trouble started,” Adeboye said. “Whatever I discussed with them privately, I did my best behind the scenes. But you can only advise the Commander-in-Chief — you can’t command him.
“If I were asked to make suggestions, I would say to our government: move fast, move diplomatically, move wisely. Find a way to convince the president of America to delay his actions for about 100 days. Then come home and tell our security chiefs to get rid of these terrorists within 90 days or resign.”
Adeboye further warned that no world power would defend Nigeria if an external attack occurred.
“When I say our leaders should move fast, diplomatically, and wisely, it’s because if America attacks us, China, Russia, and other world powers will condemn it strongly but that’s all they’ll do. Britain won’t come to help us. No foreign power will,” he added. “This is not the time for jokes, grammar, or arguments. It’s not about Christians or Muslims — innocent people are dying.”
Reacting to a portion of Tinubu’s Independence Day speech, Adeboye criticised the section where the president said “peace has returned to hundreds of our liberated communities in north-west and north-east, and thousands of our people have returned safely to their homes.”
“I almost spoke last month when I heard the speech of my in-law (Tinubu), particularly that section that spoke about security,” Adeboye said. “I heard him saying all is well now, that displaced people have returned to their villages. I almost said the one who wrote that speech does not like him. Somebody wrote it, but it was the president who read it. The question is: Didn’t he see the speech before he read it? My conclusion will be that several people around my beloved in-law are not telling him the truth. The following day, we read that a traditional ruler was killed in Kwara or Kogi.”
Adeboye acknowledged that Tinubu inherited a challenging security situation but urged him to prioritise lasting solutions.
“Our president inherited this problem. I am an applied mathematician; I am only interested in getting the problem solved,” he said.
He also reminded Nigerians that the country once enjoyed peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims before politics created division.