Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has strongly criticized National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, accusing him of ignoring urgent warnings before the deadly attack in Benue State that claimed over 100 lives. The cleric claims he made multiple attempts to alert authorities to the looming danger, but was repeatedly dismissed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ayodele said he called Ribadu approximately 130 times and also sent text messages and hand-delivered letters in an attempt to warn him of an impending attack. The warnings, he said, were based on a divine revelation that he had published in his annual prophecy book, Warnings to the Nations, weeks before the massacre occurred.
Ayodele expressed deep frustration at what he called a lack of seriousness by national security officials. He alleged that despite his persistent efforts, his calls and messages were ignored and he was denied access to Ribadus office.
I called him about 130 times, Ayodele said. I sent texts. I went to his office but I was turned back. I even wrote a letter. I enlisted the help of a military general to deliver the message, but nothing came out of it.
The cleric said the silence from the NSA and other officials ultimately led to a tragedy that could have been averted had his warnings been taken seriously. He placed blame on the nations leadership, suggesting that those who fail to respect divine insight endanger the lives of citizens.
When you put people who dont respect God in power, these are some of the things that happen, he stated. God doesnt want the death of innocent lives. I tried to intervene, but they ignored it.
Ayodele was particularly critical of Ribadus alleged refusal to meet with him. He suggested the NSA may have assumed he was seeking money and dismissed him without hearing his message.
Probably he thinks I want to collect money from him, the cleric remarked. And I wonder what he wants to give me that I dont already have. This was never about money. It was about saving lives.
Ayodele insisted that he had no personal motive for reaching out to the NSA and other officials, emphasizing that he was acting solely on divine instruction. He said the vision he received was clear and that he had gone to significant lengths, including involving a military general, to ensure the warning was passed along.
He also stressed that the security situation in Benue State had reached a level that required spiritual as well as administrative intervention. According to him, the scale of the crisis in the state has gone beyond what the governor alone can handle.
The problem in Benue goes beyond the governors power, Ayodele said. Thats why I sent a letter to both the governor and Nuhu Ribadu. I even tasked a general to talk to Ribadu regarding the vision I saw about the Benue attack, but the NSA ignored it.
He concluded by urging the countrys leaders to begin taking spiritual warnings seriously and to show respect for divine counsel in national affairs. Ayodele warned that continued disregard for such messages would only result in further avoidable tragedies.
Our governors and administrators need to begin to respect God and listen to His warnings in order to get things done rightly, he said.
The statement by Primate Ayodele adds to growing national discourse around the federal governments handling of security threats, particularly in areas like Benue State that have been plagued by repeated attacks and mass killings. The recent assault in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area, left over 100 people dead and prompted President Bola Tinubu to publicly question the Inspector-General of Police over the lack of arrests.
As of now, there has been no official response from the office of the National Security Adviser regarding the claims made by Primate Ayodele.
