Apostolic Faith Church Now Worships Under Armed Protection as Nigeria’s Security Crisis Deepens

The Apostolic Faith Church says its congregations now worship under the protection of heavily armed security personnel as violence against religious centres continues to spread across Nigeria.

Prof Joseph Oba Fatoba, a member of the church’s Board of Trustees for West and Central Africa, revealed the development during a visit to the Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He said the decision followed a pattern of unpredictable and deadly attacks by bandits on worship centres across the country.

Fatoba, who was in the state for the Ondo/Ekiti 2025 camp meeting, described the nationwide security situation as “a burden every Nigerian now carries”, stressing that no religious group is exempt.

“For some time now, we have had security men guiding our services. Formerly, it was not like that,” he told journalists. “On Sundays, while people are worshipping, security officers must be on duty. We don’t want any problem to arise unexpectedly. Insecurity affects everybody — Christians, Muslims, and others. It is now a national issue.”

He added that political interventions had failed to stem the crisis, insisting that only collective prayer and spiritual intervention could steer the country out of its current turmoil.

The church, he said, began intensive nationwide prayer sessions two weeks ago and is opening its daily and weekly programmes to all Nigerians “seeking divine help” for the nation.

NUJ chairman in the state, Leke Adegbite, commended the church for its efforts, saying Nigeria has survived challenges that could have fractured other nations. According to him, the country continues to stand “because of men and women who pray silently for this nation.”