As Christians across Nigeria marked Easter commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a Kaduna-based cleric, Apostle Glory Helen Ikeleji of Christ Goshen City Assembly Worldwide, has raised concerns over continued attacks on Christians in Northern Nigeria, describing the situation as alarming and unacceptable.
Apostle Ikeleji spoke during a telephone interview on Monday, where she called on President Bola Tinubu and governors of Northern states to urgently address what she described as persistent and unprovoked violence against Christian communities.
“It is a very bad situation. They keep doing this thing again and again. This kind of nonsense should not happen again. When others attack Christians, they go free, but Christians are not allowed to go free anytime they respond to defend themselves such attacks.
“We are tired. We want our freedom and right to religion and worship. We want the people in the North to enjoy real security, peace, and freedom. It is unfortunate that innocent Christians were again killed on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday for committing no obvious crime.
“The bandits are always targeting Christians, and they are obviously trying to frustrate Christians, especially those in the North where these attacks have been persisted.
“The government should pay close attention to this wickedness, and they should put an end to it because our security must be guaranteed.
“The government needs to react on this matter by arresting the perpetrators of such crimes and putting them in prison.
“They should be made to pass through pains for their actions so that they won’t continue with such crimes where they attack innocent people leading to loss of lives.”
She further lamented the impact of insecurity on agricultural activities in the region, noting that persistent kidnapping and banditry have disrupted farming and contributed to instability in food prices.
She stressed that development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of crisis, urging the government to take decisive action to end the violence and restore stability.
“We expect the government to act decisively against this dastardly acts. I recall that I had hailed and praised both the government of President Bola Tinubu and the Kaduna State Government only last year when there was some semblance of peace in Kaduna State, and the North as a whole, but we don’t understand what is happening again.
“We can’t tolerate this anymore. The government’s at all levels must do something and urgently about this situation.
“Something decisively must be done to restore peace and normalcy to the North and Nigeria at large.
“When there is security, there will be progress because if you look at the north, a lot of people farm. But if there is no security, the people can not farm. Once there is peace in the land, there will be progress.
“The federal government needs to open more business opportunities for the people, give people loans, and ensure that their welfare is being prioritised.”
On calls by the Christian Association of Nigeria for self-defence amid rising insecurity, she expressed support but did not elaborate on the approach.
“I can’t explain too much on that, but I am in support of that. Of course, we have to. Yes, that’s very, very true.”
Delivering her Easter message, Apostle Ikeleji urged Christians to remain steadfast in faith despite prevailing challenges, drawing from the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“The purpose of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has started with series upon series, which started on Friday, when Jesus was betrayed, leading to all the sacrifices he went through on our behalf.
“Jesus came to die for the world, and the father has sacrificed a lot. When the first Adam failed, which was in the Garden of Eden, Jesus came as a second Adam.
“And the purpose of Easter, the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and he rolled away the stone from the tomb to signify his ressurection. That is the hope of Christians. It is the hope of all believers. It is the hope of mankind. That Jesus resurrected. He came back to life that you and me can have abubdant life.
“So there is hope for Nigeria. There is hope for the church. There is hope for the nation.
“And without Jesus, there is no life. There is no peace anywhere. Jesus owns the nation, and there is a plan of God for this nation.
“And that is why we are supposed to be praying, focusing more on God and to know that through this Easter, there is hope for us. Through this Easter, there is restoration. Through this Easter, there is eternal life.
“Through this Easter, it proved that Jesus truly resurrected from the dead. That means he was not put to shame. We, as children of God, can therefore never be put to shame. Our nation, Nigeria, will never be put to shame.”
She urged Christians not to lose hope in the country, encouraging continued prayers for national leaders and divine intervention.
“We will continue to pray for the nation, and God will glorify himself in Jesus’ mighty name.”
Quoting from the Bible, she referenced 2 Chronicles 7:14, saying, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
“So God will forgive the nation of the sins. When things are happening contrary, look at the killings in Jos. Look at the evil that is happening around. God is not happy with the nation. So, if the nation can come together and pray, God is going to show mercy on the nation.”
