The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has raised fresh alarm about growing insecurity in Nigeria, saying recent attacks on churches show the country is slipping into a dangerous place.
He spoke on Sunday during the 4th Pre-Shiloh Encounter Service, where he said he had warned about the same issue for more than 15 years.
Oyedepo said, “Developments in the past two weeks, particularly in Nigeria, are worrisome to say the least. The need for a prompt response in prayers to stop the killings once and for all. You can’t trade people’s lives for your comfort. All the innocent blood shared is speaking vengeance… all the perpetrators will pay with their lives.”
He added that he felt a deep personal connection to the crisis. “No one is more Nigerian than myself. We all have our ancestral grounds. We all know power passes power, no power passes the power of God.”
The cleric told the congregation to hold midnight prayers in response to the recent attacks on worship centres where several people were killed and others abducted.
“We are going out on a midnight raid (prayers). Every member of this church should be awake one hour before violence descends to anarchy in Nigeria… you mean a church was invaded during worship, and people were killed and abducted and nothing happened? The God of justice is rising,” he said.
He also cited scripture as he spoke about peace and justice. “When God speaks it is accompanied with peace. Psalm 85:8 says, ‘I will listen to what God the Lord will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints. He will not let them return to folly.’ I’ve been shouting this for 15 years; he has prompted me to speak again.”
Oyedepo condemned the killings, abductions and terror attacks that have hit several parts of the country. He urged members to pray for divine intervention.
“We shall be calling for justice against those responsible for acts of violence. We are raiding the camp of the wicked; let’s all partake in the midnight prayer. All Winners should anoint their houses. Every attack against the church shall be met with divine justice. Don’t politicise human life; it’s immoral,” he said.
He encouraged members to join hands and pray from midnight to 1am, saying Nigeria would not fall into chaos.
