Primate Ayodele Cries Out Over Terrorism, Flags Ogun, 9 Others as Terror-prone, Full List Emerges
- Kidnappings and killings of Nigerians for ransom by armed groups continue across Africa's most populous nation
- Recently, US President Donald Trump threatened to launch a “guns-a-blazing” military intervention in Nigeria, claiming that the African nation’s government has failed to prevent attacks on Christians
- Outspoken Nigerian cleric, Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele, issued an advisory, warning citizens about areas deemed high-risk for terrorism
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering security matters and counterinsurgency in Nigeria and Africa.
Oke Afa, Lagos state - Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end insecurity in the country before April 2026.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 2, signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, and sent to Legit.ng, Primate Ayodele stated that terrorists are already planning to attack prominent personalities across the country.
Source: Facebook
Insecurity: Ayodele sounds alarm
He also warned that the 2027 elections may not hold on the proposed date if insecurity is not addressed.
According to Primate Ayodele, if the government continues to negotiate with terrorists, they will continue to multiply, and this can cause them to take over election campaigns and electoral processes if care is not taken.
He said:
“If care isn’t taken, the election may not hold as planned because of insecurity. If they continue with the negotiation, we are still playing with fire.
“The government must end insecurity before the election, if not, they will take over the election. They are ready to attack politicians during the campaign if action isn’t taken by April.”
The cleric mentioned some states that President Tinubu should look into, while revealing another plan to carry out deadly attacks in December.
He said:
“Kogi, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Yobe, Enugu, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Abuja, Kebbi, Jigawa are places the government should look into, and as a matter of fact, they are planning December/January to do something bad in the country.”
Source: Twitter
Ayodele reacts to VIP police withdrawal
Furthermore, the preacher claimed that withdrawing police escorts from very important persons (VIPs) is not the solution, as it could create more opportunities for terrorism, adding that the move has also exposed these individuals to potential attacks.
He said:
“There are prominent names that should be mentioned in this terrorism. The withdrawal of police from VIPs isn’t the answer. They will soon start kidnapping prominent personalities.”
The list of Nigerian states/areas reportedly at risk of attack is below:
Terrorists wreak havoc for years
Legit.ng reports that Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people and around 200 ethnic groups, has been experiencing significant and long-standing challenges with terrorism and violent insurgencies for decades.
Insurgents such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have wreaked havoc in Nigeria for over 15 years, killing thousands. However, their attacks have been largely confined to the northeast.
In the northwest, armed gangs known locally as bandits routinely attack villages, kidnapping residents for ransom.
Read more on Nigeria's security challenges:
- CAN finally reveals association’s position on alleged genocide, sends strong message to US
- UK govt lists high-risk states in Nigeria, warns against traveling to those places
- Former army chief, Buratai, mentions "lockdown" to fight insecurity
Tinubu's appointee may face sack
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Primate Ayodele asked President Tinubu and Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, to tackle the issue of insecurity in Nigeria.
Ayodele warned that terrorists were bent on making governance difficult for the current administration.
The cleric claimed that there are people behind the insecurity, and if it is not dealt with immediately, a more unpalatable situation will come.
Source: Legit.ng
