Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has called on the Federal Government to suspend all non-essential mass gatherings in vulnerable regions and place such areas under emergency security patrols to curb the country’s rising wave of terrorist attacks.
Bakare made the call during a State of the Nation address titled “The Darkness Before Dawn” at his Lagos church on Sunday. He warned that although the measures may seem like the militarisation of communities, they are necessary to stem the surge in mass kidnappings.
He lamented that insecurity has worsened since U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing recent attacks—including ambushes on troops, the abduction of dozens of schoolchildren in Kebbi, attacks on worshippers in Kwara, and the kidnapping of hundreds of students in Niger State.
While commending the release of some victims, Bakare said the repeated assaults underscore the need for fundamental reforms in governance, national security, and foreign policy.
He criticised years of leadership failure that, according to him, allowed local disputes—particularly between Hausa farmers and Fulani pastoralists—to escalate into a deep-rooted terrorist network.
Bakare stressed that Nigeria’s healing requires equity, unity, and strategic reforms, noting that the trial and sentencing of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu has reopened historical wounds.
He urged the government to decisively dismantle violent groups across the country—from armed herders to IPOB, ESN, and “unknown gunmen”—while advocating for renewed national cohesion.
Bakare also reiterated recommendations from the 2014 National Conference, stating that Nigeria does not need more states but rather stronger geopolitical structures and genuine reconciliation to address longstanding grievances.
