The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has issued a fresh warning over the escalating security crisis in the country, describing several states, including Oyo, Benue, and Plateau, as effective killing fields amid rising banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks. The Christian body made this declaration at the conclusion of its three-day national fasting and prayer program held from Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 24, 2026, which coincided with Global Pentecost Day.
PFN Raises Alarm Over Insecurity
In an address delivered by the PFN National President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, the fellowship stated that Nigeria faces a deepening crisis of insecurity that has reached intolerable and unacceptable levels. The nation appears to have lost a collective sense of value for human life, he added. According to the PFN, the pattern of killings, abductions, and repeated attacks across communities reflects not only a security failure but also a moral and governance crisis requiring urgent national attention.
High-Profile Abductions and Killings
The fellowship cited several high-profile and recurring cases of abductions and killings, including the prolonged captivity of the Chibok schoolgirls and Leah Sharibu, alongside other victims of insurgency and banditry across the North-East and North-West regions. It described their continued captivity years after their abduction as a national tragedy and a painful reminder of unresolved insecurity challenges that continue to undermine public confidence in state protection.
PFN also referenced recent attacks in parts of the country, including Oyo State, where teachers and pupils were abducted during a school invasion. Reports indicate that one of the victims, a teacher identified as Michael Oyedokun, was killed by his abductors. The fellowship said such incidents demonstrate the increasing spread of violent attacks beyond traditional hotspots into previously considered safe zones in the South-West and other regions.
Spread of Violence Across States
It further noted that similar patterns of violence have been recorded in Benue, Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, and other states, where communities have repeatedly suffered from armed attacks, displacement, and loss of lives. The PFN expressed concern that despite the severity and frequency of these incidents, perpetrators have continued to operate with relative impunity, raising questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria's security architecture.
It also lamented what it described as the absence of strong and sustained political will to decisively confront insecurity, warning that the situation is not only claiming lives but also eroding national unity and weakening the country's socio-economic stability. According to the fellowship, insecurity has contributed to rising fear among citizens, disrupted farming activities in rural communities, discouraged investment inflows, and forced many young professionals to migrate abroad in search of safety and stability.
Call for Action
The PFN warned against what it called the normalisation of violence, saying that repeated exposure to killings and abductions risks desensitising citizens and weakening collective outrage against criminality. It criticised the continued rehabilitation of so-called repentant insurgents without adequate safeguards, arguing that such policies, if poorly managed, could undermine trust in the justice and security system.
The fellowship also called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria's security strategy, insisting that the protection of lives and property remains the primary constitutional responsibility of government at all levels. It urged the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive action to end the cycle of violence, while also calling for enhanced collaboration with international partners in intelligence gathering, surveillance, and counterterrorism efforts.
We are burdened for Nigeria today because we have lost our sense of value for human life and its sanctity, Bishop Oke stated in the address. He added that the persistence of insecurity across multiple regions of the country requires not only prayer but also coordinated and effective governance response.
Unity in Prayer and Advocacy
The PFN also called on Christians across Nigeria to remain united in prayer, repentance, and civic engagement, urging them to speak with one voice against the worsening security situation. According to the fellowship, silence in the face of injustice and violence only emboldens perpetrators and worsens the crisis. We have fasted. We have prayed. Now we speak, the statement declared, emphasising that the time had come for faith communities to intensify advocacy alongside spiritual intervention.
The PFN insisted that Nigeria must be rescued from terror, warning that continued inaction could further deepen national instability. It expressed hope that divine intervention, combined with firm government action, would lead to the restoration of peace, stability, and confidence across affected communities in the country.
