The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take immediate and decisive steps to eliminate terrorists and their sponsors before the possibility of military intervention by the United States of America.
Speaking during the November Holy Ghost Service at the RCCG headquarters in Ogun State, the respected cleric said the government must act swiftly in response to recent warnings reportedly issued by U.S. President Donald Trump about potential American involvement in Nigeria’s internal security crisis.
Okay News reports that Pastor Adeboye advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give the newly appointed service chiefs a strict three-month deadline to completely root out terrorism and its financiers. He stated that any service chief unable to achieve this goal within the given time should resign.
“This is not the time for blame games,” Adeboye told the congregation. “Our President inherited this problem; it started long before his administration.”
The cleric recalled how he had once privately advised former President Muhammadu Buhari to take decisive action against insurgents when insecurity worsened during his tenure. According to him, Buhari initially gave security agencies three months to defeat Boko Haram but failed to follow through with the directive.
Adeboye said, “I met with him personally and told him to act fast. He issued the order, but after three months, nothing had changed. I later went to see him again, and though the details of our conversation remain private, it was clear that the opportunity was missed.”
He went on to urge the Tinubu administration to ensure that the same mistake is not repeated, stressing that both the terrorists and their sponsors—regardless of their influence—must be eliminated.
“When issuing directives to the service chiefs this time,” Adeboye said, “the government should make it clear that they must deal with both the terrorists and their backers, no matter who they are.”
The RCCG leader warned that if the United States eventually carries out military action in Nigeria, no global power would defend the country.
“When I say our leaders should move fast, move diplomatically, and move wisely, we must realize that if America attacks Nigeria, China will not defend us, Russia will not defend us,” he said. “Other countries may condemn it verbally, but that is all they will do.”
Adeboye emphasized that the nation must act with urgency, insisting that this is “not a time for politics, drama, or arguments over terminology,” but a time to stop the killings of innocent Nigerians.
He also advised President Tinubu to open diplomatic discussions with President Trump and request a 100-day grace period to tackle the security challenges. During that window, Tinubu should, in turn, demand results from the service chiefs within 90 days.
“Let our leaders negotiate diplomatically with President Trump for a 100-day window,” he said. “All service chiefs must perform within three months or resign.”
Trump had earlier written on his Truth Social platform that Christianity in Nigeria faced an “existential threat” from extremist groups, warning that his administration would not stand by “while such atrocities are happening.” He also said the United States would be “ready, willing and able to protect Christian populations around the world.”
