The President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Dr. Felix Omobude, has revealed that about 850 churches have been destroyed, with many people killed and injured through the activities Boko Haram in the northern part of the country.
Omobude stated this on Tuesday during a visit to the Oyo State chapter of the association, at the Rehoboth Cathedral, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan. He was assisted during the visit by the founder of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Wale Oke; Oyo State chairman of PFN, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun of Victory International Church and other clergies.
While condemning the renewed insurgents’ suicide bombings and other attacks, coupled with the heavy casualties being recorded, Omobude urged the Federal Government to rise up to the task of defending the citizens from the Islamic fundamentalists.
According to the clergy, peace would reign in the country when people live together without the fear of being attacked by a set of individuals. He however aligned with the approach of the Federal Government to the dialogue with the sect, if they were ready to embrace peace.
He said, “By my understanding of the government’s position, it is not that the government is going to beg the insurgents. The war against them will continue. If they say they want to talk, no government will turn deaf ears to them.
“We are appealing to our people as well as our leaders to come together and treat the insurgents as criminals, which they are truly because nobody can justify the dastardly act of bombing places of worship.
“The PFN condemns the atrocities of the Islamic sect in all ramifications. We acknowledge the efforts of the security agencies, especially since the inauguration of the new government and we appeal to the government to make the security agents comfortable so as to be able to concentrate on the task at hand.”
Omobude also appealed to Nigerians to accept displaced victims of the sect or those who were rescued by security forces back into the society. He added that the fellowship, in its effort to assist the victims of Boko Haram across all religious divides, set up an appeal fund. He said so far, over N40m have been spent on the rehabilitation of the people.
“I urge everybody around the victims to be their brothers’ keepers, by giving them any assistance necessary,” he said. He called on Nigerians to be patient with the new government and pray for its success.
