The Archbishop of Lagos, Methodist Church in Nigeria, Dr. Isaac Olawuyi on Sunday lamented the security challenges Nigeria is currently facing, saying the country “is now like a war zone.”

Olawuyi spoke in an interview with our correspondent shortly after the 2022 professional harvest from Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos, during which some Nigerians including journalists and businessmen among others were honoured.

He also denounced what he described as poor leadership in the country, saying that “political leadership in Nigeria is currently failing.”

He said Nigerians needed to know whether or not the country was ruled by bandits, disbelievers, Boko Haram, members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province or the government.

He said: “Political leadership in Nigeria is currently a failure. You know that Nigeria is now like a war zone, especially with the insecurity.

“Every day you will hear people being kidnapped and killed, churches destroyed, bandits entering the church and killing people.

“It seems there is no leader in Nigeria and it is a pity that leadership in Nigeria right now is a disaster for the nation because the first thing you will notice when a country has a leader is safety – the protection of life and property.

“Where there is anarchy, people can make and break, and there is no one to challenge them because there is no leadership. Who is at the head of the country? Is it bandits, disbelievers, Boko Haram, ISWAP or the government?

“That’s the question we have to ask ourselves and that would describe to you the level of leadership that we have in the country right now.”

Regarding preparations for the upcoming general elections, Olawuyi said, “The 2023 general elections are not the first. We’ve had plenty of those in the past from time to time, so everyone knows the 2023 election will be like many others. It would be characterized by special effects, most cases of violence and all kinds of things.

“I don’t really expect much difference in the way things go – thugs, rigging here and there, vote buying etc. I think we haven’t gotten over that yet, except something again happens in 2023. I don’t want to predict because only God knows tomorrow.

“Regarding the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by the APC presidential candidate, we cannot conclude for him. You know, he said he hadn’t decided yet. He still thinks about it, but we all know that Nigeria is a secular state and any political party that disregards the multi-religious nature of the country is handling something very dangerous. It looks like child’s play.

“I don’t think they will conclude on the Muslim-Muslim ticket. No political party would like to put itself in danger. No one will accept a Christian-Christian ticket like the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Where permitted, such a party is willing to play high risk.