483
By Lizzy Chirkpi
c, has urged President Bola Tinubu to sustain and intensify the fight against insecurity, insisting that terrorists and bandits must be decisively defeated without exceptions or political considerations.
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan on Sunday, Oke warned that insecurity poses the gravest threat to Nigeria’s survival, stressing that it must be confronted with firmness, justice, and national resolve.
“Insecurity is no longer just a challenge; it is the most dangerous threat to this country,” the PFN President said, calling on the federal government to act decisively. “Don’t relent until Nigeria is fully secured. Spare no one. Allow no sacred cows. If you don’t bring insecurity down, it will bring this country down.”
Oke rejected calls for dialogue, amnesty, or rehabilitation of terrorists and bandits, describing such approaches as dangerous and counterproductive. According to him, criminal elements exploit negotiations to infiltrate and weaken the system.
“There is nothing like repentant terrorists. Governance is not a church service,” he declared. “They are not repenting; they want to enter the system in order to weaken it from within. If they claim repentance, that is between them and their God. The duty of government is justice and security.”
The cleric commended President Tinubu for what he described as renewed momentum in addressing insecurity, particularly the decision to cooperate with international partners, including the United States, to combat terrorism and banditry.
“We commend the President for moving fast and for cooperating with the United States to flush out these bandits,” Oke said. “This is not submission of Nigeria’s sovereignty. It is cooperation to defeat criminals who have turned our country into a killing field. You are doing a good job.”
While noting that corruption remains a concern, Oke argued that insecurity has overtaken it as Nigeria’s most pressing problem. He called for fair and decisive anti-corruption measures, warning against creating safe havens for looters.
“We need more than palliatives. We need good governance,” he said. “Don’t create a safe haven for those who have stolen our money. Don’t shield corruption. Anti-corruption efforts must be fair, firm, and decisive.”
The PFN President also appealed for national unity, insisting that the protection of lives must transcend religious or ethnic divides.
“No Nigerian should die anyhow, whether Christian or Muslim,” he said. “Anyone who inflicts pain on any Nigerian should face the full weight of the law.”
Despite the prevailing challenges, Oke expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, urging citizens to remain hopeful, united, and prayerful.
“There is hope for Nigeria,” he said, citing Job 14:7. “There is hope of a tree. Even when it is cut down, it will sprout again. Nigeria will survive. There is great hope, great blessings, and great joy ahead. Nigeria will be better.”
He concluded by expressing confidence that with decisive leadership and collective determination, insecurity would be defeated and the nation restored.