The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria on Sunday accused political leaders of abandoning their primary duty to protect citizens, saying the country’s worsening insecurity is being fueled by a “misplaced focus” on winning elections at all costs.

PFN National President Bishop Francis Wale Oke disclosed this in an address presented at the Assemblies of God Church in Calabar at the end of three days of national fasting and prayer.

Bishop Oke, whose address was read by the Cross River State Chairman of the PFN, Dr. Trinity Ogar said Nigerians are “sick and tired” of banditry, kidnappings and mass killings while governments offer “empty promises” and rehabilitate suspected Boko Haram fighters instead of prosecuting them.

“We are burdened for Nigeria today because we have lost our sense of value for human life and its sanctity.

“The level of banditry, kidnapping, violence, insecurity and savage killings all across the Nigerian landscape has risen to an intolerable height.

“While these satanic acts were going on, our political elites continued with business as usual as though nothing was happening. These are unspeakable and despicable acts of terror”, Bishop Oke said.

The PFN cited ongoing violence in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Southern Kaduna and the recent beheading of a teacher in Oyo as evidence that insecurity has become normalized.

“We mourn the apparent lack of a firm political will by our government to crush these horrible evils in Nigeria”, Bishop Oke said.

PFN, he added have fasted, prayed and now resolved to speak out against this evil, hoping that government will give it a deserved attention.

The religious organisation urged the federal government to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect all citizens, seek international help if needed, and shift its priority from political contests to crushing the killers in Nigeria.