Cleric urges Buhari to equip security agency to fight banditry, insurgency

The Most Rev’d Gabriel Akinbiyi, the Lord Bishop of Akoko and the Archbishop of Ondo Ecclesiastical Province, Ondo State, has called on the Federal Government to take a holistic approach to tackle the scourge of banditry and insurgency in several parts of the country. 

This he said the government can do by equipping the security agencies with sophisticated and modern equipment to fight the malaise.

He made the call in his charge at the second Session of the 12^th Synod of the Diocese of Akoko (Anglican Communion), held at the Cathedral of Stephen, Ikare Akoko. 

The cleric, who presided over the Synod, said the theme, “The End Time Events”, was apt and timely, noting that heresy and apostasy have bedevilled the contemporary Church, the country and the world at large. 

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He urged President Muhammad Buhari-led government to take decisive steps to tackle the growing menace of banditry, killing and kidnapping.

He said the three social malaise have created fear and panic in the minds of the people across the country.

“The high rate of banditry is now very alarming, while the killer Fulani herdsmen are going about with impudent destruction of farmlands and lives.

“This call for government’s decisive and reassuring actions because the first major responsibility of the government is to the protection of lives and properties,” he said. 

Archbishop Akinbiyi also advised the government to set up its operation to completely eradicate the insurgency of Boko Haram terrorist by providing security forces with high sophisticated fighting equipment.

He also admonished the president to avoid pursuing particular religious interests and treat every religion with equality.

Archbishop Akinbiyi noted that banditry and kidnapping have spread into Ondo State and the people now fear to travel from one town to the other all because of incessant kidnappings.  

He called upon the Ondo State government to, as a matter of urgency, acquire air surveillance equipment to facilitate aerial monitoring of the ground space.

He said the Nigerian economy was in comatose, as he called on the Federal Government to critically look into the issue of unemployment by creating job opportunities.

This, he said, can be done by revamping all the moribund factories, refineries and providing institutions of learning with the necessary equipment to aid the learning process.

He, however, congratulated all Nigerians for a peaceful transition from civilian to civilian rule as demonstrated in the 2019 elections, saying it was a positive development “in our collective democratic life.” 

Speaking on the theme the Synod, he said it was apt as it pointed to the events of the end time and the certainty of the second coming of Jesus Christ and rewards for the righteous.

 According to the Anglican cleric, the rise of false prophets, advancement or increase of evil and sin, the rapture, the rise of the anti-Christ and the destruction of evil people are the signs of the end time.

He said Jesus Christ would return to reign, to proclaim the final judgment and the destruction of the present heaven and earth.