The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has stated that there is a growing persecution of Christians in the country including in places where they are being prevented from erecting their places of worship, pointing out that the devil is out to stoke religious tension in Nigeria.
Speaking while inaugurating the over 40,000 capacity new headquarters building and church auditorium of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Gbagada, Lagos, he called on Nigerians across religious divides to rise in unison against the rising tide of religious intolerance in Nigeria.
He said religious intolerance remains a major challenge against the socio-economic revival of Nigeria, but assured that the federal government was doing everything in its powers to protect the freedom of worship.
The vice president disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has given him the mandate to intervene in areas that are facing such challenges with the aim of bringing enduring peaceful co-existence.
He lamented the growing persecution of Christians in many parts of the country, and promised that the government was doing all within the law to ensure the rights of all Nigerians are preserved as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria.
Osinbajo said, “Persecution of Christians is on the rise. The devil is hard at work, stoking religious tension. I call on all Christians not to be broken even as security are working hard to prevent such occurrences and protect the lives and property of every citizen.
“The devil’s biggest agenda is stoke up a religious conflict in Nigeria, one that would make it impossible for anyone to preach the gospel while the security agencies continue to work relentlessly to wipe out the perpetrators of these evil acts.
“And to bring a permanent end to all of the killings going on in the name of herdsmen, Boko Haram or any other name, we as a body of Christ must not lose focus.
“We are called to bring men and women to salvation, even those who kill. The enemy wants us to stand on our pulpits and preach hate but we will obey the Lord Jesus Christ, who said we must love our enemy and pray even for those who persecute us. There is no person born or yet to be born that can stop the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
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