General News
PLATEAU CRISIS: SANWO-OLU EVACUATES 3-WEEKS OLD BABY, LAGOS STUDENTS FROM JOS
We’re Grateful to Governor for Rescuing Us From ‘War Zone,’ Say UNIJOS Students
In line with his administration’s commitment to safety and security of Lagosians, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has successfully evacuated a three-week-old baby, the mother and undergraduate students of Lagos extraction at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau State, following the recent attacks and killings in the State.
The first set of evacuees, comprising 64 UNIJOS students and the three-week-old-baby, named Daniella, who was reported to have been delivered shortly before the crisis in Plateau State by the mother, Manya Banfe, a 200-Level student, arrived Lagos on Friday afternoon and met with Governor Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, before being released to their families.
The students who were accompanied by security agents and government officials arrived at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa at 1:56pm with their belongings in a luxury bus and other vehicles after long hours of journey from Jos to Lagos.
The students who were so excited to be evacuated from crisis-hit Jos and other parts of Plateau State currently experiencing violence and killings in the last few weeks, sang praises and showered praises on Governor Sanwo-Olu and top officials of the Lagos State Government for rescuing them from what they described as the ‘war zone.’
While receiving the students, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the evacuation shows that Lagos State Government had the capacity to respond to any emergency when it concerns the people of the State, especially the youth.
Governor Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, said welfare packages had been arranged for the students to return to their families safe and sound.
The Governor, who thanked God that no students from Lagos lost their lives in the incident and during the rescue operation, urged them to observe COVID-19 safety protocols and not to lose touch with their studies, as they returned to Lagos.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Kasali Adeniran, said the evacuation of students and indigenes of Lagos State was another landmark event by the Sanwo-Olu administration.
Adeniran also restated the incumbent administration’s commitment to safety and security of Lagos citizens, noting that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu government has demonstrated good governance in providing enabling environment as well as being on point when it comes to safety and security of lives with the evacuation of the UNIJOS students.
Speaking on behalf of the UNIJOS students, a 200-level student of the Department of Religion and Philosophy of the institution, Clinton Shotikare, thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu for coming to their rescue.
“On behalf of other students, I am saying a big thank you to the Lagos State Government, especially the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. We appreciate the Governor and the State Government for evacuating us from Plateau State. We feel happy, honoured, grateful and safe. We feel the impact of government,” he said.
Shotikare, who said they had been experiencing tense situations and sleepless nights since the beginning of the Plateau State crisis, urged Lagos State Government not to relent on its efforts to rescue other Lagosians, especially students who were still stranded in University of Jos and other parts of Plateau State.
A student in the Department of Pharmacy, UNIJOS, Edward Christiana, also appreciated Governor Sanwo-Olu for evacuating the students from Jos.
“I am really grateful for what Lagos State Government has done for us. We are so thankful. Some of us had even lost hope when 24 hours curfew was declared in Plateau State. But Lagos State Governor came to our rescue and evacuated us from Jos.
“We, the students of University of Jos really appreciate Lagos State Government. We appreciate Governor Sanwo-Olu for his goodwill and hardwork, ensuring our safe arrival to our friends, families and loved ones. We pray that God will continue to bless and strengthen you,” she said.
General News
Clergy Urged To Put Members’ Welfare Above All Else
At a solemn ordination service in Abuja, senior church leaders have called on pastors to make the well-being of their congregations a top priority, following the example of Jesus Christ.
Speaking during the priesthood ordination and installation of a Sub Dean at the Cathedral Church of Advent, Life Camp, Abuja, the retired Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Okene, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Ajulo, described pastors as shepherds charged with the care of their flock. He urged them to shun worldly distractions and focus on meeting the spiritual and material needs of their members.
Bishop Ajulo also encouraged the newly ordained priests to remain faithful to their calling by teaching God’s word without compromise.
In his charge, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, urged the new clergy to preach the undiluted gospel and foster religious harmony wherever they serve. He expressed confidence that their new roles would help promote peace and unity in society.
The service also featured prayers for national leaders and divine intervention in addressing the current global economic challenges.
General News
1,000 Prayer Warriors Storm Ilorin for Tinubu, Nation’s Deliverance
In a dramatic show of faith and patriotism, over 1,000 fiery prayer warriors from across Nigeria will descend on Ilorin, Kwara State, this Saturday, lifting their voices in intense intercession for President Bola Tinubu’s success and Nigeria’s survival in the face of biting economic woes and mounting insecurity.
The spiritual siege, themed “Walking in Domini”, is the maiden convention of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), with its Kwara State Chairman, Evangelist Thomas Adeboye, vowing that “heaven will hear and respond to Nigeria’s cry.”
Aside from marathon prayers, the gathering will roll out free medical outreach to locals across Kwara’s LGAs, a gesture aimed at touching both body and soul.
Adeboye, lamenting Nigeria’s “troubling economic and security realities”, called for a nationwide prayer uprising, insisting that Tinubu has shown the will to revive the nation but needs massive divine backing to succeed.
“Banditry, a collapsing economy, and political tension demand we seek God’s face like never before,” he declared. “We will storm heaven for wisdom for the President and governors to steer Nigeria to safety.”
The convention will also feature awards to distinguished personalities, soul-lifting worship, fiery sermons, and unity-driven lectures—all capped with thunderous prayers for Nigeria’s redemption.
Adeboye urged the President to ensure every policy has “a human face,” stressing that Nigerians must not only endure but also enjoy the fruits of governance.
With the OAIC promising to reaffirm believers’ authority in Christ and rally spiritual boldness in the face of national challenges, Ilorin is set to become the epicentre of a powerful spiritual warfare for Nigeria’s destiny.
General News
Nigerian Anglicans Condemn Lesbian Archbishop of Wales, Deepening Global Anglican Rift
…Church leaders accuse Welsh counterparts of “spiritual decadence” and “abandonment of faith”
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has issued a forceful condemnation of the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales. The move is the latest in a series of developments that have deepened divisions within the global Anglican Communion over sexuality and doctrine.
In a statement from Primate The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, the church denounced the election as a “serious departure from biblical teaching” and a sign of “spiritual decadence” and “an outright abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
Archbishop Ndukuba warned that Bishop Vann’s elevation compromises the Anglican Church’s global mission and could obstruct evangelism. He compared the situation to the controversial tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, who also faced intense criticism from conservative Anglicans for her progressive views.
The Primate accused Bishop Vann of being complicit in the “ongoing crisis” around same-sex issues, stating that the election is a “clear revelation that many who claim to be members of the body of Christ cannot endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The Church of Nigeria called on Anglicans worldwide to reject “rebels” and “apostates” and to instead support conservative bodies like the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognize the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba declared. He concluded with a solemn warning that without repentance, the Church in Wales risks losing “complete relevance” and its leaders will face judgment.
