Former President of the Pentecostal FelBut Churches Should Not Take Up Arms- CAN chieftain, Omobude
Former President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria(PFN), a plank of the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) and Founder of New Covenant Gospel Church, Benin City, Rev. (Dr) Felix Omobude, has warned that Nigeria could slip into chaos if Christians resort to bearing arms in response to persistent attacks by terrorist groups.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on Sunday, Omobude acknowledged that Christians had been deliberately targeted for killings and abductions but insisted that taking up arms would only worsen the nation’s fragile security situation.
According to him, while churches can lawfully organise security through recognised channels during services and events, religious leaders must avoid endorsing armed retaliation.
“It will be irresponsible for a leader to call for arms or violence,” he said. “Violence will only give birth to more violence. We don’t have another country. Our restraint is because we believe a united Nigeria is best for all of us, and I hope those in leadership don’t mistake that restraint for weakness.”
Omobude described Nigeria’s security crisis as “very worrisome,” noting that few would have imagined the current realities 15 years ago. He argued that fears about inviting foreign assistance on the grounds of sovereignty were misplaced, insisting that insurgents had already violated the country’s territorial integrity.
“I heard that the Americans want to help us and some people say it will violate our sovereignty. I don’t agree. Our sovereignty has already been compromised by foreign insurgents. Even the military is infiltrated. There is nothing wrong in asking for external help,” he said.
The former PFN president also reiterated his longstanding support for the creation of state police, commending President Bola Tinubu for recently directing steps in that direction.
“As PFN president for eight years, we consistently pushed for state police. Nigeria has outgrown a centralised policing system,” he said, recalling that local government police once existed and effectively handled issues such as tax enforcement and environmental control.
Omobude urged the government to urgently rethink its security architecture and embrace all lawful avenues—internal and external – to restore peace across the country.
