Oyedepo: Terror Sponsors Now in Hiding

The atmosphere at the Faith Tabernacle was electric on Sunday as Bishop David Oyedepo, the influential founder of Living Faith Church, broke his silence on the dramatic escalation of military force in Northern Nigeria. Addressing a global congregation, the cleric described the recent United States missile strikes in Sokoto State as a divine intervention and the long-awaited arrival of “judgment day” for those who have orchestrated a decade of bloodshed.

The backdrop to the Bishop’s sermon was an unprecedented military operation that unfolded on Christmas night. In a move that sent shockwaves through the Sahel, the United States military, acting under orders from President Donald Trump and in strategic coordination with the Nigerian government, launched a barrage of at least 12 Tomahawk missiles. The targets were high-value terrorist encampments nestled within the rugged terrain of Sokoto State.

For Oyedepo, the precision of the airstrikes was not merely a feat of modern engineering but a direct answer to the fervent prayers of the faithful. He reminded his audience of a recently concluded “seven midnight prayer raid” organized by the church, asserting that the spiritual labor of the congregants had successfully moved the hand of God to intervene in the physical realm. The result, he noted, was a “sudden turnaround” in the nation’s security trajectory.

The Bishop’s language was uncharacteristically sharp as he addressed the perpetrators of violence. He noted that for the first time in nearly two decades, those who previously instilled terror in the hearts of citizens are now “smelling” the heat of a superior fire. He painted a picture of a dramatic shift in the balance of power, where the predators have officially become the prey in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

A significant portion of Oyedepo’s reaction focused on the shadowy figures behind the frontlines. He boldly claimed that the high-profile sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria—those who provide the financial and political oxygen for insurgency—are now scurrying for cover. With the entry of global superpowers into the theater of operations, the Bishop suggested that the era of impunity for these masterminds has effectively come to an end.

“Judgment has landed,” the cleric declared, his voice resonating through the auditorium. He emphasized that the cycle of mourning inflicted upon innocent families across Nigeria is being returned to the doorsteps of the killers. In his view, the slaughter of children and the displacement of communities have triggered a spiritual law of retribution that is now manifesting through the kinetic power of advanced weaponry.

The news of the US military involvement has brought a rare sense of relief to a population weary of endless promises of security. By collaborating with the Nigerian government, the US intervention signals a hardening of the global stance against West African terror cells. For many Nigerians, the Sight of Tomahawk missiles clearing out camps that had long been deemed “impenetrable” serves as a powerful psychological victory.

Oyedepo urged Nigerians not to be silent in their gratitude, framing the intervention as a milestone in the nation’s history. He remarked that for twenty years, the persecutors of the church and the state had operated with a sense of invincibility. However, the events of the past week have proven that no camp is too remote and no sponsor is too hidden to escape the reach of determined justice.

The Bishop’s remarks also touched on the collective trauma of the nation, acknowledging the years of slaughter and the countless individuals who have been made to mourn. He insisted that the current “fire burning” in the terrorist camps is a necessary cleansing process for Nigeria to regain its peace. To him, the sight of these “daredevil killers” feeling the pressure is the most significant evidence of progress since the insurgency began.

While the political and military implications of the US strikes continue to be debated in diplomatic circles, Oyedepo remains focused on the spiritual and moral victory. He sees the collaboration between the Nigerian leadership and the White House as a vehicle through which divine justice is being dispensed. He reiterated that the hunters are now being hunted, a reversal of roles that he believes will permanently alter the security landscape.

As the smoke clears from the Sokoto camps, the nation remains on high alert. The Bishop’s message serves as both a celebration and a warning to those still entangled in the machinery of terror. He ended his discourse by calling for continued vigilance and thanksgiving, asserting that the hand of God has finally stepped into the affairs of Nigeria to bring a decisive end to the era of the persecutors.

The bold intervention on Christmas night has certainly redefined the fight against insurgency, turning a period usually marked by fear of holiday attacks into a demonstration of overwhelming force. For the followers of the Winners Chapel and many others watching from the sidelines, Oyedepo’s endorsement of the military action confirms a shared belief: that the time for dialogue has passed and the season of judgment has truly arrived.