The Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has issued a strong condemnation following the recent kidnapping of school children in Oyo State, utilizing the moment to issue a national appeal for solidarity. Speaking during a comprehensive media briefing in the commercial capital on Thursday, the Chairman of Lagos CAN, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, urged citizens to remain prayerful, focused, and deeply cooperative with the nation’s armed forces and police commands as they navigate the ongoing battle against internal security threats. Adegbite, who concurrently serves the nation as the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, did not mask his profound concern regarding the recent spike in unconventional security challenges but firmly cautioned Nigerians against abandoning faith in the collective capacity of state institutions to restore public order.
The ongoing discourse surrounding national safety took an emotional turn during the briefing as the cleric explicitly addressed the tragic death of Mr. Michael Oyedokun, a dedicated mathematics teacher who lost his life during the Oyo State abduction crisis. Characterizing the execution of the educator as a deeply inhuman and fundamentally evil act, the bishop emphasized that the deliberate targeting of innocent citizens violates all foundational tenets of global value systems and legitimate spiritual doctrines. He noted that the individuals perpetrating these atrocities act strictly as agents of social degradation and enemies of human progress rather than as representatives of any authentic religious mandate, reinforcing the point that no genuine faith condones the shedding of innocent blood or the systematic terrorization of vulnerable populations.
Despite the pervasive atmosphere of public anxiety and fear generated by recent high-profile kidnappings across various regional belts, the CAN leadership maintained that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is actively rolling out critical countermeasures designed to stabilize the geopolitical landscape. Adegbite revealed that sophisticated strategic frameworks—many of which remain classified within upper intelligence echelons to safeguard operational integrity—are currently being deployed across troubled zones to dislodge criminal networks and secure the safe return of individuals still held in captivity. He pointed to the recent appointment of a Special Adviser on Homeland Security as a crucial institutional milestone, expressing confidence that the specialized office will significantly enhance real-time intelligence gathering, inter-agency synchronization, and the broader modernization of Nigeria’s internal defense networks.
Turning his attention toward civil liberties and the right to public dissent, the prominent cleric navigated the complex intersection of constitutional freedom and national stability. While fully validating the explicit legal rights of citizens to engage in peaceful assemblies and express grievances regarding the state of the nation, Adegbite warned against the vulnerability of public demonstrations being hijacked or manipulated. He cautioned stakeholders to ensure that organized protests do not morph into instruments of political destabilization, societal disruption, or cross-regional incitement, arguing that national preservation must remain the primary anchor for all forms of civic engagement.
The media briefing also served as a platform for significant political commentary as the general election cycle begins to take shape across the federation. The Lagos CAN leader commended the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress for its decision to grant President Tinubu the party’s presidential ticket for a consecutive second-term bid, framing the endorsement as a necessary move toward institutional continuity and the consolidation of complex fiscal and structural reforms. Furthermore, Adegbite extended official congratulations to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, following his emergence as the APC’s consensus governorship candidate for the upcoming state executive race, praising him as a highly accomplished technocrat and a seasoned administrative asset uniquely equipped to sustain the developmental trajectory of the sub-national economy.