Happenings in Nigeria are signs of end times – Security Expert

The Director General (DG), Security Assistance Organization on Information Dissemination and lntelligence Gathering, and a prophet, Dr. Oni John Martins, whose group is in partnership with security agencies in combating crime, told OBIRE
ONAKEMU that though the security challenges facing Nigeria would be a thing of the past, the happenings in the country are signs of end times. EXCERPTS:

What would be your comment on the state of the nation?
We all know what is happening in this country today. Things are no longer what they are supposed to be. Insecurity of life and property is there, one side, coupled with the state of the economy that is further aggravated with this new naira redesign policy. The most important thing we would do is to pray hard that God continue to protect and guide us. All what is happening now is a sign of end times. No man or woman could stop this insecurity, except the most High God, who is the creator of heaven and earth. The whole thing is purely sign of end times!

To you as a security expert, it is sign of end times. Does it means that you too cannot intervene in any way?
We have been intervening for a very long time now. For the past 22 years, we have been assisting the Federal Government, state governments and local governments in one way or the other. Unfortunately, we lack funds and we are praying to the inspector-General of Police (lG) to assist us with some funds to enable us to continue our services to the nation. Though we are still working but we need financial assistance.

At the moment, how do you go about tackling insecurity?
Security agencies like the police and the army are the ones tackling insecurity. We don’t have guns, bombs and weapons to tackle insecurity. The way we work is like the Americans that call themselves White Police. We are only white police if not black police to assist security agencies. But unfortunately, we are not carried along by way of financing us, and without us, they cannot do much. They may do but not as much as when we open-up our mind to assist them. We are working to assist security agencies in our domains.

What is your comment on the level of insecurity and youth restiveness in the country?
This is how it is in other countries; Nigeria is not the first. Go to Turkey and other countries and see what is happening there. With time, everything will be more okay than what we are seeing now. President Muhammadu Buhari and his security agencies are really trying to fight insecurity and gradually the tension has been reduced. They have really tried a lot to curb it, but as l said earlier, it is all sign of the end times.

What have you to say in terms of job creation under President Buhari?
One thing is that job creation or no job creation, man can do nothing if God is not with him. We still need to pray hard for God to give us wisdom and understanding to be able to create more jobs for our teaming population in this country.

Are you convinced that the security agencies are adequately armed to contend with the nature of security challenges confronting the nation today?
No doubt, the Buhari-led Federal Government is trying. Sometimes ago, they placed order for so many weapons and materials and they must have arrived. More weapons are still coming. The president has been traveling here and there to see that he acquires more weapons to fight the insurgency in the country.

Do you see any hope of Nigeria getting over these insecurity issues bearing in mind that Buhari will soon quit office this year?
All will soon be well. It is 100 per cent sure. And very soon, it will be a thing of the past. Even if Buhari is going, he has laid a solid foundation for the incoming government to follow. Undoubtedly, by the grace of God, this insecurity will become a thing of the past.

To what extent has your organisation gone with the police over insecurity?
We have been working so closely with the security agencies and they have been cooperating with us. We operate in our areas of domain. Those in big markets protect their markets; those in their local governments protect theirs and those in their mosques equally protect theirs. That is how we are operating now. There is a limit to our operations, but if the Federal Government and the police could fund us, we can cope more effectively and efficiently with the work. So, we need more cooperation from them.

What achievements have you recorded thus far in your organization?
lf you go to our website or social media, you will realize that we have been operating for almost 25 to 30 years now. There was a time we installed computers and Internet in police formation in Nigeria so that we can receive information online. Our people are working closely with the police, army and all the other security agencies. We are working as husband and wife till now.

What actually do you need from the Federal Government?
The last time we wrote to President Buhari, we told him a lot. He released about N13.3 billion for community policing. We were so happy, but up till now, we haven’t seen our own return. There is hope that with time, they will give us our own share. However little, it will go a long way to assist us to continue assisting the police and other security agencies.

As a prophet and a church founder, how do you see to the escalating assault on the church in recent times?
That has taken us back to my former answer that all these things happening now are signs of end times. lt has been predicted by our Lord Jesus Christ that a time will come when all these things happening now will come to pass. But we as human beings would try our best to preach peace and love among ourselves.

Christians and Muslims are serving the same most High God. Prophet Mohammed and Jesus Christ of Nazareth are from the same Most High God. They are from the same Abraham. l don’t see reasons Christians and Muslims should fight. There should be true love and understanding between them. All these assaults on the church will soon become a thing of the past since they are preaching love and forgiveness now.

Can you predict how Nigeria will be after President Buhari?
This was a question the disciples asked Jesus, you said you are going, when are you coming back? He said He didn’t know the time and that only The Father knows the time. So, ‘that time’, time will tell when our next president comes and begins work from May 29 this year.

At the time of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, many people were complaining bitterly against his government before President Buhari came in. So, one can’t really say Buhari is doing well now or not until the next president comes in. Then, after a year or two, we may know whether the new president tried or Buhari really tried more than him. We cannot really predict whether it will be good or bad, it is only God that knows, but l know that with prayers, love and peace, things will fall into their proper places.

Does it seem to you that politicians have the right attitudes to the development of our people?
Nigeria being what it is and how we have been running the country for a long time now, politicians are human beings like all of us; they are not God. But the problem l have with politicians is that they have wrong advisers.

A president or a governor cannot do everything on his own. So, what we need now is for them to look for very good advisers that will lead or direct them to the right channel. l believe that is what the in-coming administration should focus on if they really want to get deliver the desired dividends of democracy.

What is the way forward for Nigeria?
The way forward for Nigeria is for us to love ourselves and to forgive each other. There should be no tribalism among the ethnic groups in the country and the religious groups. Let us live as one family as we were living during the time of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. They were living in peace and love at that time. We should stop discriminating against ourselves whether you are this or that.

l knew Fulani in my father’s compound when l was just 5 years old. Fulani have been living in Nigeria, working in Nigeria and they were so loving and kind then. l don’t know why they are accusing Fulani here and there. Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Urhobo, ljaw and others are all one; one blood, one water. Let us keep the good relationship that will bring peace and unity to this country.