By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has lashed out at political leaders across the country for abandoning their primary responsibility of protecting lives and property, while prioritising political campaigns and elections.

The Cross River State Chairman of PFN, Trinity Ogar, raised the alarm at a press conference in Calabar on Monday, lamenting the dangerous degeneration of insecurity across Nigeria.

Ogar said the worsening security crisis is being fuelled by what he described as a “misplaced focus” on winning elections at all costs, even as banditry, kidnapping, and mass killings continue unabated.

“Nigerians are sick and tired of banditry, kidnappings, and mass killings while governments offer empty promises and rehabilitate suspected Boko Haram fighters instead of prosecuting them,” he said.

The cleric expressed deep concern over the apparent normalisation of violence in the country.

“We are burdened for Nigeria today because we have lost our sense of value for human life and its sanctity.

“The level of banditry, kidnapping, violence, insecurity and savage killings all across the Nigerian landscape has risen to an intolerable height.

“While these satanic acts were going on, our political elites continued with business as usual as though nothing was happening. These are unspeakable and despicable acts of terror,” he said.

The PFN highlighted the escalating violence in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, and the recent beheading of a teacher in Oyo State as clear evidence that insecurity has degenerated to a frightening level where such atrocities are almost being accepted as normal.

Ogar mourned what he described as the lack of political will by the government to decisively tackle the menace.

“We mourn the apparent lack of a firm political will by our government to crush these horrible evils in Nigeria,” he said.

He disclosed that the Fellowship had fasted and prayed before resolving to speak out, urging the Federal Government to urgently fulfil its constitutional duty of protecting all citizens.

The PFN called on the government to seek international assistance if necessary and shift its priority from political contests to crushing the killers terrorising Nigerians.