By Our Reporter.

An evangelist in Akwa Ibom State, Apostle John Okoriko, has called on President Bola Tinubu to make full use of the country’s available resources and security infrastructure to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency and address the growing security challenges facing Nigeria.

Okoriko made the appeal on Sunday during his monthly interactive session, themed “The Power of Belief,” where he expressed concern over the activities of the terrorist group and the danger its ideology poses to the country’s future.

The cleric attributed the continued activities of Boko Haram to what he described as a misguided religious belief system, warning that such ideologies, if left unchecked, could undermine national development and threaten Nigeria’s survival.

He explained that certain beliefs and cultural practices could hold individuals, communities and entire nations back, particularly when they discourage education, scientific advancement and technological development.

According to him, Nigeria cannot make meaningful progress or compete with other countries if insecurity and negative ideologies continue to undermine the educational system, especially in the northern part of the country.

He pointed out that education remains a major foundation for technological innovation and economic growth, questioning how the country could achieve development if schools and learning opportunities were continually threatened by insurgency.

“If Boko Haram beliefs and other retrogressive cultural beliefs from other cultures are allowed to continue, Nigeria may not survive in the next 20 years.”

Okoriko also expressed concern over what he described as the declining confidence Nigerians have in their country, attributing the situation partly to economic difficulties and the country’s slow pace of technological advancement.

He, however, urged citizens not to abandon hope in Nigeria despite the prevailing challenges, expressing optimism that the government could restore security and create an environment where citizens would once again have confidence in the country.

The evangelist further warned that a nation that loses confidence in its institutions and fails to uphold the rule of law risks undermining its own stability.

“Lack of belief in Nigeria cannot sustain Nigeria in the next 20 years. A nation which does not believe in the rule of law is bound to collapse.

“Nigeria is one of the countries groping under wrong belief systems. Boko Haram believes that education is sacrilegious. The federal government should rise and discourage such negative beliefs to build a nation where education will drive development in science and technology,” he said.

He maintained that confronting insurgency and promoting education, science and technology were essential to securing Nigeria’s future and strengthening its position among other nations.