Key points
- Adeboye and Oyedepo praised Trump’s December strikes on terrorist camps in northern Nigeria.
- Adeboye blamed shielded insiders and put the number of displaced Nigerians at about 11 million.
- Speakers urged Congress to pass the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide have thanked United States President Donald Trump for his December military action against terrorist camps in northern Nigeria. Moreover, both clerics urged Washington to do far more.
They spoke at the ‘Faith Heroes Award Gala,’ which the Save Nigeria Group USA hosted in Washington. Notably, the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition joined the event.
They called for a global coalition, led by the United States, to defeat the extremists. As a result, their message framed Nigeria’s crisis as an international concern.
According to Adeboye, terrorism has worsened since the December strikes. Therefore, he said the United States and its Western allies must act more decisively to restore peace.
Adeboye points to ‘untouchables’
Drawing on Newton’s first law of motion, Adeboye argued that powerful insiders shield the violence. Specifically, he described them as untouchables whom only God can confront.
“There are certain people in my country that are untouchable, and only God can deal with them,” Adeboye said. Consequently, he urged Washington to use its influence and help more.
He said Christians have become prime targets, while stressing that people of all faiths have suffered. Indeed, he put the number of displaced Nigerians at about 11 million.
In response to the suffering, he said the church opened a camp that feeds displaced families. Furthermore, he praised Trump as a leader who acts on his promises.
Still, Adeboye rejected claims that President Bola Tinubu is doing nothing. Instead, he likened Tinubu’s role to Trump’s, saying execution determines whether military orders succeed.
Oyedepo and US voices press Congress
Meanwhile, Oyedepo, who appeared through a representative, warned that Nigeria stands at the brink of collapse. Furthermore, he backed the proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act.
He cited US congressional findings that estimate 50,000 to 125,000 Christians killed between 2009 and 2025. Additionally, the figures claim more than 19,000 churches destroyed.
Moreover, Oyedepo said Nigeria accounts for 72 percent of Christians killed worldwide, citing the same data. He also pointed to massacres in Benue and Plateau states that reportedly claimed more than 9,500 lives since 2023.
Former US official Sam Brownback and rights advocate Katrina Swett also criticized Nigerian authorities. According to Swett, America holds powerful leverage and should use it.
Finally, Save Nigeria Group USA president Stephen Osemwegie urged Congress to pass the bill quickly. Ultimately, he called terrorism a global problem that demands a global response.