A Nigerian cleric, Prophet Sam Ojo, has claimed that the worsening insecurity across the country is part of a deliberate plan to destabilise Nigeria and frustrate the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Ojo, founder of the Freedom Apostolic Revival International Ministry (FARIM), made the claim while addressing worshippers during a large revival meeting over the weekend.
He said the surge in banditry and kidnapping is not accidental but carefully coordinated to weaken the nation and undermine public trust in government.
According to the cleric, recent attacks across several states show a disturbing pattern. He pointed to incidents involving schoolchildren, places of worship, and rural communities as evidence of what he described as a calculated agenda aimed at throwing the country into chaos.
“These attacks are not ordinary — they’re engineered to break Nigeria’s spirit”
Prophet Ojo said Nigeria is currently facing two battles at the same time. One, he noted, is the physical confrontation with armed criminals. The other, he said, is a spiritual conflict driven by forces determined to portray the government as weak and incapable.
“Banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria today are not just crimes — they are strategic tools of destabilisation,” he said. “Forces are working to undermine the Tinubu administration and turn citizens against their own country.”
He warned that the continuous violence is designed to erode public confidence, disrupt governance, and stir ethnic and social tensions across the country.
“These attacks are deliberately targeted at our unity. The aim is simple: make the people hopeless and make the government appear helpless. But Nigeria will not fall,” he added.
The prophet, who said he regularly prays for the nation and its leaders, urged Nigerians not to lose faith. He called on citizens to support the government while seeking divine intervention against what he described as evil plots threatening national stability.
While speaking on possible solutions, Ojo called on security agencies to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and avoid treating the attacks as isolated incidents. He also urged the federal government to take firmer action.
“The federal government must combine intelligence work with spiritual alertness,” he said. “This is bigger than police and military operations — it requires national unity, national repentance and national prayer.”
He further appealed to Nigerians to resist fear and division, insisting that the country would overcome its current challenges if citizens remain united.
“Nigeria will not disintegrate. These forces will fail. But we must stay united and stay prayerful,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ojo’s remarks have continued to generate reactions among worshippers, political observers, and security analysts. Some analysts believe his comments reflect a growing perception among Nigerians that the country’s insecurity may be driven by coordinated political or ideological interests.
A Lagos-based security commentator, Abdulhamid Isyaku, said many citizens now suspect that the timing and scale of attacks are not random.
“Many Nigerians feel there is a coordinated agenda behind these attacks,” he said. “Whether spiritual or political, the motives appear designed to weaken state authority.”
Social media reactions also showed mixed responses, with some Nigerians agreeing with the cleric’s views, while others called for more focus on practical security reforms.
