By Olomi Jelili, Lagos
When a nation grapples with insecurity, the customary recourse for military forces often involves deploying firearms, grenades, and ammunition to address the threat. However, the crucial query remains: to what extent have these conventional methods effectively mitigated insurgent activities, and have they potentially exacerbated the situation?
For a nation like Nigeria, insecurity became outright in 2013 during the emergence of Boko Haram terrorists but till now, despite efforts by the country's security agencies to combat them using conventional methods like ammunition, the insurgents have not been effectively subdued. Instead, they have grown in strength and numbers. This indicates that the conventional approach to addressing insecurity has been ineffective.
Based on the preceding information, it is evident that nations grappling with insecurity must adopt unconventional strategies to combat this pervasive threat effectively. Merely relying on traditional methods such as firearms and explosives is insufficient. Instead, a comprehensive approach incorporating alternative and proven measures is essential to address insecurity, particularly in nations like Nigeria.
Throughout history and in biblical accounts, we find stories illustrating unconventional methods of overcoming adversity. For example, the children of Israel brought down the walls of Jericho through joyful praise and music (Joshua 6:1-27), while King Hezekiah achieved victory over his enemies through prayer rather than warfare (2 Kings 19:14-37). These narratives demonstrate that victories against insecurity have been achieved through means beyond conventional military tactics such as wielding swords or firearms, emphasizing the power of faith and alternative approaches.
Given the demonstrated ineffectiveness of conventional methods in addressing insecurity, it is imperative for Nigerian security agencies to consider spiritual avenues for resolving the nation's security challenges. The remarkable aspect of this approach is that spiritual solutions are readily accessible through Nigerian spiritual leaders, eliminating the need for extensive search efforts.
When discussing spiritual leaders or prophets, it's noteworthy to mention Primate Elijah Ayodele, the esteemed leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Lagos, who stands out as the singular figure foreseeing insecurity challenges and offering solutions.
The esteemed prophet has demonstrated his spiritual insight by providing unbidden aid to the nation's security forces, disclosing the locations of insurgent activities in advance, thereby enabling proactive measures. Regrettably, on numerous occasions, these warnings have been disregarded or overlooked, despite their consistent accuracy.
For instance, the abduction of the Chibok Girls in 2014 which occurred in Borno state was forewarned by the renowned prophet. He warned of the activities of terrorists and advised the government to secure Nigerian academic institutions but due to their negligence, the incident occurred and till now, the students have not all been released.
Recently in his prophecies for 2024, Primate Ayodele mentioned some states in the country where insecurity would persist in the year including the federal capital territory, Abuja. He revealed that kidnapping would take a different dimension in 2024 and truthfully, Nigeria has never experienced a kidnap attack in recent times as it has been happening since the beginning of 2024 especially in Abuja, the seat of power.
The recent abductions in Nigerian schools have also fulfilled the prophecies of Primate Ayodele which he warned about in 2023.
On the 1st of October, 2023, Primate Ayodele in his usual way of releasing prophetic messages warned the federal and state government to secure Nigerian secondary schools as he foresaw an attack in the education sector.
It would be recalled that Primate Ayodele was the only man of God that assured that the abducted students in Kaduna would be rescued alive. In fulfillment of this, the Kaduna state government announced the successful rescue of the students in the early hours of today.
Primate Ayodele's prophetic gifts have extended far beyond Nigeria's borders, reaching the global stage. A notable example is the recent gang takeover in Haiti, which fulfilled a prophecy he shared in October 2023. At that time, he cautioned of an imminent total shutdown and violence orchestrated by gangs within the country.
Similarly, the recent political upheaval in Senegal aligns with the prophetic insights of Primate Elijah Ayodele. In advance, he cautioned President Macky Sall that his involvement in the country's upcoming political transition would precipitate a crisis. Despite being advised against extending his tenure, the president's decision led to the foretold crisis.
Few days ago, Moscow came under heavy terrorist attack, leading to the death of more than 130 people just three days after Primate Ayodele warned President Putin against such an occurrence. Earlier in the year, the man of God warned Russia to be careful of an attack that will lead to the death of several individuals.
There are many more instances that have proven that Primate Ayodele’s prophetic prowess can be an alternative solution to tackling insecurity in countries especially in Nigeria where he hails from.
It’s sad that when Primate Ayodele releases these prophecies about insecurities, some refer to him as prophet of doom when in the real sense, what he is simply doing is ‘spiritual intelligence’ where physical intelligence fails.
Thankfully, the Chief of Naval staff, Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla in his statement a few days ago acknowledged the importance of divine intervention when he called on Nigerians to pray to God for insecurity to end in the country.
It is not known whether our service chiefs including the Chief of Army staff, Chief of Naval staff, Inspector General of Police, and Chief of Defense Staff follow the prophecies of Primate Ayodele but if they don’t; it is high time they knew that his warnings should be used as guidance in carrying out their respective duties.
The enduring presence of insecurity in Nigeria indicates that current approaches have either been ineffective or insufficient. Despite Primate Ayodele offering numerous pieces of advice to the present service chiefs, it seems evident that they have not heeded his counsel.
While some of these advisories may seem unconventional or enigmatic, akin to the victories of Hezekiah, who triumphed in war without wielding swords, or the children of Israel who brought down Jericho's walls through song, it is now opportune for our security forces to embrace the extraordinary, mystical, and spiritual in combating insecurity in Nigeria.