The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to open diplomatic channels with U.S. President Donald Trump following reports that Washington is considering “possible action” against Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
Speaking during the November Holy Ghost Service at Redemption City on Friday, Adeboye said Tinubu must act “fast, diplomatically, and wisely” to persuade the U.S. president to delay any form of military or policy response, adding that the Nigerian government should use the window to prove its commitment to ending terrorism and religious violence.
“If I were asked to make suggestions, I would say to our government: move fast, move diplomatically, move wisely,” Adeboye said. “Find a way to convince the president of America to delay his actions for about 100 days. Then come home and tell our security chiefs to get rid of these terrorists within 90 days or resign.”
Adeboye’s remarks come after Trump reportedly ordered the U.S. Department of Defence to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria, warning that the country must stop what he described as the “killing of Christians.” The U.S. president also labelled Nigeria a “disgraced country,” prompting sharp rebuttals from the Nigerian government, which insists that claims of a Christian genocide are exaggerated.
‘No Foreign Power Will Defend Nigeria’
Adeboye cautioned that no world power would defend Nigeria if the situation escalated into open confrontation, noting that diplomatic restraint was crucial.
“If America attacks us, China, Russia, and other world powers will condemn it strongly, but that’s all they’ll do,” he warned. “Britain won’t come to help us. No foreign power will. This is not the time for jokes, grammar, or arguments. It’s not about Christians or Muslims — innocent people are dying.”
His warning followed a statement from China on November 4 cautioning against external interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
Adeboye also reiterated his call for the federal government to identify and expose the sponsors of terrorism, regardless of their status or connections, arguing that years of insecurity have taken a devastating toll on ordinary Nigerians.
‘Your Speech Writers Don’t Like You’
In a rare direct criticism of the administration, the respected cleric took issue with a section of President Tinubu’s Independence Day speech, in which the president said that “peace has returned” to many liberated communities in the north.
Adeboye said he almost spoke out publicly last month after hearing the claim, which he described as misleading and insensitive given the country’s ongoing security challenges.
“I almost said the one who wrote that speech does not like him,” Adeboye remarked. “Somebody wrote it, but it was the president who read it. Didn’t he see the speech before he read it? My conclusion is that several people around my beloved in-law are not telling him the truth.”
He pointed out that renewed violence and killings in parts of Kwara and Kogi states contradicted the government’s claims of restored peace.
‘Focus on Solutions, Not Blame’
Acknowledging the complexity of Nigeria’s security problems, Adeboye said Tinubu inherited a deeply entrenched crisis and should focus on pragmatic solutions rather than rhetoric.
“Our president inherited this problem,” he said. “I am an applied mathematician; I am only interested in getting the problem solved.”
The cleric recalled a time when Nigerians of different faiths lived peacefully before political divisions deepened sectarian tensions, urging a return to unity and collective problem-solving.
Adeboye’s intervention adds moral weight to the growing calls for the Tinubu administration to balance diplomacy and decisive security action, as Nigeria faces increased scrutiny from international partners over human rights and religious freedom concerns.