The General Supervisor of ThankGod Awaited Liberation Ministry, Ikeja, Lagos, Prophet Francis Onwudiwe Otukwu, has denounced Presidency over the increasing rate of blood-letting by criminal elements, continued killings in Southern Kaduna and disturbing spike in sleaze by political office-holders and civil servants amid crushing poverty, debilitating unemployment and absence of social nets, despite the fast-spreading pandemic in an environment of inadequate health-care facilities.

Prophet Otukwu was speaking at the low-keyed 14th Anniversary of ThankGod Awaited Liberation Ministry, which coincides with August 8th birthday of the Founder/Son of Man, ThankGod Chukwuma, last Sunday, with the theme “Jesus is the way” (John 14:6). He regretted the growing incidence of diverse forms of crimes, including ritual killing and rape in which churches have been implicated, adding: “It’s unfortunate that even at this end-time, people who call themselves Christians engage in shameful immoral and despicable acts because of their inordinate quest for instant wealth, fame and funs of life.”

On the rising wave of killings by bandits, herdsmen, kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers across the country, he reiterated his earlier call on the Federal Government to urgently reexamine the nation’s security architecture in the light of near-total breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, including the performance of the Nigerian military against the terrorist Boko Haram fighters in the North-East, which governors in the zone berated last week.

He asked: What convincing reasons will the Presidency and Kaduna State Government offer for the prolonged one-sided killings going on in Southern Kaduna, in the presence of Nigerian soldiers and policemen?”This, he said, leaves much to be desired about equity and fairness.

He also wondered how the Presidency hopes to convince Nigerians on commitment to the war against corruption, when public office holders and civil servants, including federal legislators are being implicated in stealing public funds, either directly or through inflated contracts that were not executed even after the politicians have been fully paid.

“Given the rate of poverty and unemployment in the country, are these adult looters of public funds who are regularly featured in the news not the ones promoting crime among the younger generations of Nigerians? Whose example are the youths expected to follow, especially when there is little evidence of punishment for such heinous crimes?, he queried.

Reacting to the partial opening of churches after four months lockdown, which made the low-key celebration possible, he commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the conditional opening beginning Sunday August 9. He said only smaller congregations met for worship as the terms were still less than liberal to accommodate large congregations. He, however, appealed to religious leaders to encourage their followers to comply with COVID-19 protocols given that they are designed to check further spread of the coronavirus and save lives.