Insecurity: ‘Innocent blood is speaking vengeance’, says Oyedepo

Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has repeated a warning he has issued for 15 years about rising insecurity in Nigeria, following recent attacks on churches that left several worshippers dead and others kidnapped.

This comes as Italy has become the second G7 country, after the United States, to openly call for an immediate stop to the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

It will be recalled that U.S. President Donald Trump had once threatened military action against Nigeria if the Federal Government failed to stop what he described as a Christian genocide in the country.

Speaking during the 4th Pre-Shiloh Encounter Service monitored by Vanguard on Sunday, Oyedepo expressed serious concern over the situation of the country.

He said: “Developments in the past two weeks, particularly in Nigeria, are worrisome to say the least. There is need for a prompt response in prayers to stop the killings once and for all. You can’t trade people’s lives for your comfort.

“All the innocent blood shared is speaking vengeance… all the perpetrators will pay with their lives.”

Reaffirming his bond with the country, the cleric added that “no one is more Nigerian than myself. We all have our ancestral grounds. We all know power passes power, no power passes the power of God.”

He called on church members to engage in midnight prayers, saying: “We are going out on a midnight raid (prayers).

“Every member of this church should be awake one hour before violence descends to anarchy in Nigeria… you mean a church was invaded during worship, and people were killed and abducted and nothing happened? The God of justice is rising.”
He explained that the wicked “will be cursed in prayers (Genesis 12:3).”

Oyedepo also stressed Nigeria’s spiritual identity, saying: “When God steps in, the pride of men is cut. Every arrogance will be cut down. Nigeria will never descend into chaos. I want them to hear these hard things because they are coming from the burning spirit of a prophet.”

Quoting scripture on peace, he said: “When God speaks, it is accompanied with peace, Psalm 85:8, ‘I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints.

‘He will not let them return to folly.’ I’ve been shouting this for 15 years; he (God) has prompted me to speak again.”

Condemning killings, kidnapping and terrorism, he added: “We shall be calling for justice against those responsible for acts of violence. We are raiding the camp of the wicked; let’s all partake in the midnight prayer.”

Italy backs Trump on alleged Christian killings in Nigeria
Meanwhile, the Italian government has aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump in condemning what they describe as the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, in a strongly worded statement on X, condemned what she called “renewed violence” against Christian communities and insisted that the situation had become unacceptable.

“We strongly condemn the renewed violence that has taken place against Christian communities in Nigeria. Religious freedom is an inviolable right.

‘We ask the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of Christian communities and all religious communities and to prosecute those responsible for these heinous attacks.’”

She added that Italy “expresses all its closeness to the victims and to the communities in Nigeria who today feel in danger because of their religious beliefs,” signalling stronger international concern over the targeted attacks.