Eliminate Terrorists With Their Sponsors, Adeboye Tells Tinubu

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to take decisive action against terrorists and their sponsors, regardless of their status or influence.

Adeboye made the call in a video shared on the X handle of The Real Church Gist on Saturday, stressing the need for a more strategic and patriotic approach to national security.

“My next advice to our government, in case there is any of you who can get across to them, when giving orders to the Service Chiefs this time round, we should make it clear to them that they are not only to eliminate the terrorists — they should eliminate their sponsors, no matter how influential they may be,” he said.

“When I say my people, when I say our leaders should move fast, move diplomatically, they have to be and move wisely,” Adeboye added

The revered cleric warned that Nigeria must not depend on foreign powers for assistance in times of crisis, noting that no nation would come to the country’s aid if attacked.

“We must take note of the fact that if America should attack us, China is not coming to defend us. Russia will not come to defend us. All the so-called world leaders will only talk — they will condemn what America has done in the strongest terms. That’s all they will do. Britain is not going to come and help us,” Adeboye said.

He further advised government officials and national leaders to act “fast, wisely, and diplomatically” in addressing the nation’s mounting insecurity challenges, emphasising that this is not a time for political games or empty words.

“This is not the time for joking. This is not the time for grammar. It’s not the time for semantics or arguments. And it’s not the time for saying that it’s not Christian law. Muslims are also involved. The point is that people are dying — innocent people are dying,” he lamented.

Pastor Adeboye’s comments come amid renewed calls for the Federal Government to intensify efforts to end terrorism and banditry, which have continued to claim lives and displace thousands across parts of the country.

The United States President, Donald Trump, recently redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a label for nations where violations of religious freedom are judged to be systematic, ongoing, and severe.

Trump also threatened possible military action against terrorists in Nigeria.

However, Nigeria has continued to insist that the position of the US remains far from the truth and drawing conclusions from faulty data.

Some global leaders have rebuffed President Trump’s threat over alleged Christian persecution, warning that such claims distort the country’s complex security crisis.

In separate statements, the European Union (EU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and China cautioned against actions that could undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty, insisting terrorism in the region targets all faiths.