Methodist Church Synod Condemns Govt’s Inability to Curb Insecurity 

Bennett Oghifo

The 17th Synod of Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos West, has said that Nigeria remains “a laughing stock among nations due to her apparent inability to rein in and curb the growing spate of violence, kidnappings and killings in the country.”

The Synod, which was held at the Methodist Cathedral of Blessing, Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos with the theme “Contending for the Faith”, taken from the scriptural text, Jude 1:3, was under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit and the able leadership of The Rt. Rev Ezekiel Olayinka Akande, Bishop, Diocese of Lagos West, Methodist Church Nigeria.

The Synod’s communique noted that Christianity has continued to contend with relentless and increasingly violent physical, moral and spiritual attacks globally with cases of mass killings of Christians, destruction of their places of worship and a deliberate resolve to undermine the Christian faith assuming alarming proportions in many countries, including Nigeria. 

It decried the apparent complicity and unwillingness of Governments and relevant authorities to condemn and effectively confront the worrisome trend with decisive punitive actions against the perpetrators. 

Citing the cases of the gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu in Sokoto in May 2022 for alleged blasphemy (in a supposedly secular nation), as well as the mindless and unconscionable killing of Christians in Northern states, particularly Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara and Katsina.

The Synod reminded all Christians in the country that rather than resort to violence in the face of the ceaseless persecution and killings they have been contending with, they are expected to be firm, to be steadfast, to be courageous, to be determined, to be deeply rooted and to show zeal in the faith of Jesus Christ. Besides, they must make themselves available, be determined and watchful, be filled with the fire of the spirit and to keep their gazes fixed on the crown of ultimate and unfailing glory as they contend for their faith.

On the 2023 general election, the Synod congratulated the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Vice President-elect Shetima Ibrahim for emerging victorious in the highly competitive 2023 Presidential election. 

Thanking God for answered prayers the Synod said it was imperative for the “incoming new civilian administration of Asiwaju Tinubu to prioritise the security of lives and properties that will enable Nigerians to travel without fear of kidnappers on our roads and rail lines without fear of kidnappers and bandits.” The administration’s economic revitalisation plan, the Synod advised, should contain measurable targets for creating jobs, reducing poverty, decreasing cost of living and creating space for genuine engagement and involvement of the private sector and other relevant stakeholders in the revitalisation plan.

The Synod warned of a looming food shortage crisis which has the potential to cripple the nation’s economy and the well-being of Nigerians. It urged the incoming administration to consider the adoption of the Maputo Declaration on agriculture which recommended 10% of budgets to be expended on agriculture across all tiers, noting however, that complete autonomy for local governments was needed for such a measure to be effective at the grassroots.

The meeting also urged all Nigerians to participate actively and be counted in the upcoming National Population and Demographic census to enable the nation to correct the skewed distribution of resources.

The Synod congratulated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Kadri Hamzat on their re-election for a fresh term of office in Lagos State. It urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to hearken to the cry of residents and people of the state to curb the activities of bad eggs amongst officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and the NURTW, who inflict untold hardship on the citizenry in the name of the state government.