Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that bandits and terrorists are planning heavy reprisal attacks following recent US military strikes in Sokoto state.
In a statement signed by Osho Oluwatosin, his media aide, Ayodele said the attack by the United States against the Islamic sect would trigger violent counter-attacks.
The cleric said the US intervention was not in Nigeria’s interest, describing the missile launch as “a disguise to carry out the agenda of the Western country against Nigeria”.
Ayodele said the terrorists were prepared for the consequences of the strike and cautioned that Nigeria could suffer setbacks in the fight against insecurity if security agencies failed to act decisively.
He said the Nigerian military must work together to strategise and prevent what he described as a looming retrogression.
The cleric said the attack had exposed what he called the “powerlessness” of Tinubu’s government and warned that it would not end insecurity or banditry.
“Nigerians shouldn’t celebrate yet, and President Tinubu shouldn’t celebrate either, because the powerlessness of his government is getting exposed, and America can come up with anything against him. This won’t stop kidnapping or insecurity in Nigeria,” he added.
Ayodele said the Nigerian government must take full responsibility for addressing insecurity, stressing that the US could not solve Nigeria’s security problems.
“The government of Nigeria must work on it because the US cannot do it without the Nigerian government. Another bombing is coming up, and these bandits are ready for the consequences,” he stated.
He warned that the terrorists were prepared to counter-attack heavily and urged the government to prepare for the outcome.
Ayodele also accused individuals negotiating with terrorists of being among Nigeria’s biggest security threats, adding that those involved in negotiations with bandits must be identified and prosecuted if the country is serious about ending insecurity.
His words: “America will expose the terrorist financiers, but what is going to happen to those negotiating with the bandits?
“These ones are the major problems, and if the country is serious about insecurity, the military must go after these negotiators.” he added.