Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apst. Johnson Suleman, has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action against Nigeria’s worsening security situation, declaring that continued references to inherited insecurity amount to an admission that the government is unable to tackle the problem.
Speaking on the country’s security challenges, Suleman said Nigeria’s security agencies possess the capacity to address insecurity if given the necessary support and political backing.
“As a president, if you keep saying you inherited insecurity, you are openly admitting that you cannot handle it,” he stated.
The cleric, who said he had travelled extensively across several countries, described the Nigerian Army, Police and Department of State Services (DSS) as among the best security institutions in the world.
“I have travelled to several countries, and I can boldly tell you that the Nigerian Army, the Police, and the DSS are among the best in the world. The people who sponsor terrorism are our real problem,” he said.
Suleman commended the DSS for its ongoing operations against criminal networks, noting that the agency was making arrests of suspects linked to terrorism and other violent crimes on a daily basis.
According to him, the Federal Government must shift its focus to identifying and prosecuting those funding terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent criminality across the country.
He also called for a nationwide ban on open grazing and urged the government to promote ranching as a more sustainable and secure alternative.
“If you are serious about the security of this country, you should ban open grazing and encourage ranching. Cattle business is a private business,” he said.
The preacher, who urged the government to move beyond consultations and meetings and take concrete action against criminal elements threatening national security, said “go after the sponsors, stop holding meetings, and go after the bandits.”
While insisting that leadership must be measured by results, Suleman added that if those in authority are unable to implement the necessary measures to secure the country, they should make way for those who can.
“Finally, if you cannot do all these, resign and let someone else do it,” he stated.
There’s a growing concern over terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats in several parts of Nigeria, stemming from kidnapping of school children, teachers to beheading of military officers, among others.
