Insecurity: Adeboye adds voice to rising call for citizens to defend themselves

By our reporter| The rising calls by leaders across the country for citizens to rise and defend themselves against attacks by terrorists appear to have gotten spiritual endorsement as pastor Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), on Friday said the Bible has nothing against “children of God” defending themselves against attacks.

The highly revered cleric, who spoke during his sermon at the Holy Ghost service, noted that though safety is of the Lord, the Bible is not against Christians defending themselves against harm.

“Safety is of the Lord and nobody dies until their time comes,” he said.

“I don’t want to say much, because I know whatever I say, some people may want to twist it. But I’ve searched the Bible from cover to cover and there is nowhere in the Bible where God said a child of God cannot defend himself.

“If you find the place, let me know. He said, ‘if they slap you on the right cheek, turn the left’. If they now slap the left, what did he say? When God is silent, do you know the meaning of that? It simply means, over to you.

“Every enemy of the church, as long as my Father is still on the throne, as long as Jesus lives, as long as His name is the consuming fire, if they don’t repent, the fire of God will consume them.

“I’m not talking to everybody o; I’m only talking to my children.”

Adeboye’s comment followed recent attack at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state by terrorists which killed 40 people, and injured scores.

There is also a noticeable increase in the attacks on places of worship and killing of clerics in the country, especially, in north-central Nigeria by terrorists.

Zamfara state government last week asked residents to defend themselves against bandits, while asking the commissioner of police in the state to begin the process of providing licences for residents to carry arms.