Bishop Wale Oke, who is also the president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), expressed his regrets over killing of Christians in Nigeria, most of which is taking place in Benue State, in spite of international coverage by even ex-U.S. Trump president.
Addressing issues connected to persecution of Nigerians in India, Bishop Oke, who appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Morning Brief program Thursday, together with Reverend Gideon Para-Mallam, president of Gideon & Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, in his conversation, claimed that this “Christian genocide” has continued for more than 15 years
“Actually, there is genocide of Christians in Nigeria, and this has been going on for more than 15 years now,” he said. “This current administration inherited this issue, of course, but we’re not blaming them, but we’re holding them responsible for all Nigerian Christians.”
The cleric remembered the massacre of more than 500 Christians in a single night in Dogo Nawa, as well as a mass burial of victims in Benue State, which took place on Christmas Day, where he termed it as one of the darkest episodes in the state’s history. “I could not hold my tears that day as I observed a line of caskets during the burial of victims in Benue State,” he said. “We’re not in an active war, but innocent people are getting killed for being Christians.”
Bishop Oke also shared another story of a pastor in another part of Nigeria who refused to leave because of an order from Boko Haram, which targeted him as a result of his refusal to relocate. “They attacked his family and killed the twins his wife gave birth to, like rams, in front of her,” he said, adding, “The church had to rebuild her because she lost her senses due to mental trauma.”
He also alluded to the abduction of Leah Sharibu, as well as the Chibok girls, emphasizing that the people of Chibok are mostly from the Christian community.
Reverend Para-Mallam, for his part, urged a strong commitment to justice for, as well as protection of, life by the government, as he said, “We want the killings to stop. If it stops, we will be the first to acknowledge it.”
