Pastor David Ibiyeomie has called on Christians in northern Nigeria to take measures to protect themselves as the country faces a new wave of killings and mass abductions by bandits.
The clergyman made the appeal during a sermon while reacting to the recent attack on Christian worshippers in Kwara State, where armed men stormed a church during a programme, leaving several people dead and abducting dozens.
Drawing from the biblical account of Jesus’ disciple, Peter, who moved with his master while carrying a sword, Ibiyeomie urged northern Christians to defend themselves if attacked.
He said, “Peter didn’t borrow the sword to cut the servant’s ear, it was the sword they were carrying. While you pray, carry a walking stick, Peter was carrying a sword because there was no walking stick. Peter carried the sword in case someone wanted to molest Jesus. Everybody in the northern churches, go and buy your own walking stick so when they want to attack, come out.
“This nonsense of going to attack church will stop. When they come, you too fire back. The thing wey dem de carry, you no know where them de buy am?”
Nigeria has been hit by a worsening security crisis in recent days, with multiple communities across the country mourning victims of mass killings and kidnappings carried out by terrorists and bandits.
