Insecurity: ‘Your silence is too loud’ PFN tells Buhari

• urges him to speak up

President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke has lamented that the continuous silence of President Muhammadu Buhari over the nation’s security, is disheartening and disturbing.

To this effect, Wale Oke, the PFN helmsman, urged President Buhari to urgently address Nigerians on the palpable insecurity situation of the country.

The revered Bishop who is the founder of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries and the Proprietor of the Precious Cornerstone University (PCU)Ibadan, made these assertions on Wednesday at the Cornerstone City, Ibadan when he received separately,the Lagos, Ogun and Osun States’ Chapters of the PFN led by Apostle Enjimaya Okwuonu and Apostle David Otaru as well as Prophet Isaiah Adelowokan, respectively. They had visited to felicitate with him on his emergence as the body’s President.

“The silence of President Muhammadu Buhari over the degenerating security situation in Nigeria, is too loud and this is very disturbing Seriously,President Buhari’s silence is deafening and it’s giving room for speculation and gossips that suggest the government has hands in the sickening situation by indulging and pampering the bandits and the killer Fulani herdsmen, among others”. Wale Oke decried.

As a result, he charged the nation’s helmsman to rise up and tackle the situation headlong, stressing,”He should rise above primordial sentiments and sectional attachment by doing the needful to make the nation more homely for every Nigerian”

The renowned Cleric reminded the President that he was voted into power in 2015 because of his military background with a view to stemming the insecurity in the country.

“There is so much pressure and tension in the land due to insurgency being orchestrated by the Boko Haram, kidnapping, banditry, killer Fulani herdsmen’s palaver, raping, among other ills. All these are self-inflicted.” he bemoaned.

Continuing, Bishop Oke said “We don’t want the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo to be the one that will speak; It is President Buhari himself that we want to hear from on the dreary security situation in the country. Our President should use the opportunity to disassociate his government from the lawlessness currently ravaging the country through the activities of Boko Haram insurgents and the killer Fulani herdsmen. He should tell his kinsmen, the Fulani, to stop the mindless killings currently on in the country; arrest and make those culpable to face the wrath of law. Tell the bandits, the killers, the rapists and all those involved in these heinous engagements, the language of law whether they are Fulanis or whatever. Let the nation hear your fatherly voice. People are living in fear, farmers cannot go to their farms anymore”

He further charged the President to be expeditious in tackling the mounting challenges, insisting that the nation was at the brinks of  collapse, “No doubt, we are at a precarious time because of insecurity and alarmingly, the drums of separation are beating loudly for everyone to hear”.

Wale Oke appealed that “On behalf of over 45 million members of PFN, I want to implore President Buhari to stand up firmly to bring together, all Nigerians regardless of their tribes and religions. PFN is praying for you. Mr President, and the nation as well. This is because, Nigeria has never been as divided as we are now”.

In the interim, the PFN President has cautioned the Federal Government against negotiating with the bandits, saying that would be tantamount to treating them with kid gloves.

“Kidnappers, bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, killer Fulani herdsmen and rapists, are criminals who the government should not negotiate with. Instead, they should be judged while the protection of lives and property of the citizen is given the needed priority”

He implored all Nigerians to continue to pray and work with sincerity of purpose for the greatness of the country.

Earlier in their separate remarks, the PFN Chairmen for Lagos, Ogun and Osun States, while pledging their loyalty and supports to the national President, assured him of their readiness to always heed his call to duty.