Lagos, Nigeria – October 17, 2025 – In a blistering critique that’s set social media ablaze, Nigerian cleric Dr. Charles Akpoti has lambasted prominent church leaders for their deafening silence on the country’s spiraling violence, accusing them of being muzzled by political patronage and allowing “evil politicians” to desecrate their pulpits.
“The Holy Spirit no longer moves in their churches because their mouths are filled with political meat,” Akpoti declared in a viral statement shared widely on platforms like Instagram and X, where it has garnered over 200,000 views and thousands of shares within hours. The outspoken pastor, known for his no-holds-barred sermons on social justice, didn’t mince words, claiming that general overseers—Nigeria’s megachurch titans—have traded prophetic fire for political favors, rendering their congregations spiritually barren amid a humanitarian catastrophe. “They allow evil politicians to mount their pulpits and speak,” he fumed, pointing to the irony of opulent services where cries for justice go unspoken while tithes flow freely.
Akpoti’s outburst comes against a grim backdrop of escalating insecurity that’s claimed thousands of lives this year alone. From Fulani militia raids in the Middle Belt to Boko Haram ambushes in the Northeast, reports indicate over 2,000 Christians killed in targeted attacks since January, with entire villages razed and pastors among the victims. Just last week, a Kwara State clergyman was executed by kidnappers despite ransom payments exceeding ₦10 million, leaving his community in mourning and questioning why faith leaders aren’t mobilizing against such barbarity. In Benue State, over 200 Christians perished in a single wave of assaults by Islamist militants, displacing thousands and straining relief efforts. Akpoti’s words echo a growing chorus of frustration, amplified by international watchdogs like Christian Solidarity International, which condemned a Palm Sunday massacre in Plateau State that felled 56 souls as part of an “ongoing slow-motion genocide.”
The cleric’s remarks have ignited a firestorm online, with Nigerians divided yet united in their outrage. On X, hashtags like #PastorsSilent and #HolySpiritEvicted trended briefly, as users dissected the rot at the intersection of religion and politics. Supporters hailed Akpoti as a “modern-day prophet,” with one commenter noting, “Sermons now pause for photo ops, and offerings outweigh outrage.” Prominent voices, including human rights advocate @segalink, retweeted the statement with a call for “faith without compromise,” while a viral thread from @NwaomaTruthmusk01 dubbed it the “new gospel according to politics.” Critics, however, fired back, accusing Akpoti of oversimplification. “Not all pastors are silent—some risk their lives preaching peace,” tweeted a defender, referencing underground clergy in conflict zones who operate in the shadows to avoid reprisals. Others, like media personality Daddy Freeze, weighed in with sarcasm: “When last did you hear ‘thou shalt not kill’ from the altar? Only jets and mansions get mentions.”
Akpoti, a Delta State-based preacher with a modest following compared to giants like Bishop David Oyedepo or Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has long positioned himself as a thorn in the side of complacent Christianity. His latest salvo revives age-old debates on religious violence in Nigeria, where Boko Haram’s insurgency since 2009 has morphed into a hydra of ethnic clashes, farmer-herder disputes, and banditry, killing over 62,000 Christians per some estimates. Analysts link the pastors’ reticence to lucrative ties: Megachurches often host politicians at high-profile events, securing endorsements, tax breaks, and even security details in return for soft-pedaling criticism. “It’s a quid pro quo that’s killing the soul of the nation,” one theologian told NigeriaWire anonymously.
The federal government, through Information Minister Mohammed Idris, has yet to respond directly, but past defenses have stressed the complexity of conflicts—framed not as religious genocide but as multifaceted crises involving land, poverty, and crime. Catholic Bishops’ Conference President Archbishop Lucius Ugorji recently lamented the “unending insecurity” plaguing the faithful, urging unity, though such calls from established bodies have been criticized as too tepid.
As the dust settles, Akpoti’s condemnation serves as a wake-up call, challenging Nigeria’s 100 million-plus Christians to demand more from their shepherds. “The blood of the innocent cries out—will the pulpits finally echo it?” he posed in a follow-up post. In a nation where faith is both refuge and battleground, his words hang heavy: When prophets feast on politics, who speaks for the slain?
NigeriaWire Faith & Society Desk. Insights drawn from social media and advocacy reports.