Founder of Mount Zion Faith Ministries, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye, has come to the defence of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, amid criticism surrounding the cleric’s recent comments on Nigeria’s security situation.
The controversy followed the circulation of a video in which Adeboye urged the Federal Government to give security chiefs a 90-day ultimatum to tackle terrorism or step down from their positions. The video, originally recorded in November 2025, resurfaced online and sparked fresh debate, with some critics accusing the revered cleric of taking political sides while others questioned his stance on planned protests against insecurity.
Reacting to the backlash, Bamiloye, in a post shared on his official Instagram page on Wednesday, accused some bloggers and commentators of deliberately misrepresenting Adeboye’s message.
According to him, the RCCG leader has never been silent on issues affecting the country and has consistently spoken out against violence, insecurity and other societal challenges.
Bamiloye also dismissed suggestions that Adeboye should personally lead public demonstrations against the government, describing such expectations as unrealistic considering the pastor’s age and spiritual responsibilities.
“This is what he said, yet many bloggers chose to twist the message. He spoke against the evils confronting the nation,” Bamiloye stated.
“For those expecting an 84-year-old servant of God to lead a street protest against the government, that expectation does not make sense, considering both his age and the nature of his calling.”
Addressing comparisons with a 2020 anti-insecurity march involving Adeboye, Bamiloye clarified that the event was not a personal political protest initiated by the cleric.
He explained that the prayer walk was organised under the directives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), with churches across the country participating in the exercise.
“People say he once led a protest. What they fail to mention is that it was a collective decision by CAN and PFN for churches to stage peaceful protests against insecurity, and he simply led his denomination in compliance with that directive, just as other church leaders did,” he said.
Bamiloye stressed that the primary role of the Church remains praying for the nation and seeking divine intervention in governance and national affairs.
“Our major responsibility as the Church of God is to continually pray for the peace of our nation and for God’s intervention in the affairs of government,” he added.
The clarification by Bamiloye came shortly after the RCCG Public Relations Unit addressed claims circulating on social media regarding a photograph showing Adeboye carrying a placard.
The church explained that the image was taken during the 2020 nationwide prayer walk against insecurity under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and had no connection to partisan politics or any protest against former President Goodluck Jonathan.
RCCG further reaffirmed Adeboye’s longstanding non-partisan position, noting that while members are encouraged to participate in the democratic process, the church does not endorse any political party or candidate.
The development has reignited discussions on the role of religious leaders in national advocacy, particularly amid growing concerns over insecurity across the country.
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