YEMI OLAKITAN
According to the Scriptures, our Lord Jesus Christ forbade His disciples from taking up weapons against anyone. When Peter drew his sword to defend Him, Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword.” He then healed the ear of the soldier Peter had struck, one of those who came to arrest Him after Judas’ betrayal.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus emphasized peace and nonviolence. He instructed His followers to “turn the other cheek”when struck, teaching that vengeance has no place in the life of a believer. He urged them not to fear those who could kill the body but not the soul, but rather to fear God, who has power over both. Even when He had the ability to defend Himself, He chose to surrender His life for humanity. On the cross, He prayed for His executioners, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
But today, that teaching faces one of its greatest tests. Across Nigeria, especially in the North, Christians are being slaughtered in alarming numbers by Islamic extremists. Only recently, in Southern Kaduna, a pastor and his entire family were killed by Boko Haram militants. Hundreds of churches have been burnt. Thousands of believers have been displaced, orphaned, or murdered simply for their faith.
This is not new in the history of Christianity. The early Church endured unspeakable persecution — believers were thrown to lions, crucified upside down, or burnt alive for proclaiming Christ. Yet they refused to retaliate. They prayed for their killers and embraced martyrdom with grace.
Still, the question lingers: is Christ’s command to reject violence, even in self-defense, still practical today?** Should Christians remain passive in the face of deliberate annihilation? Should they defend themselves when confronted by armed terrorists and religious extremists?
The Bible offers another example worth pondering. In the book of Esther (chapters 3, 4, 8, and 9:1–17), Haman conspired to wipe out the Jews. But through Queen Esther’s courage, the king issued a decree empowering the Jews to defend themselves. They fasted, prayed, and armed themselves — and prevailed over their enemies. Their survival combined faith, prayer, and action.
If God approved their defense, can self-protection still be considered unchristian?
The Ndi-Igbo Peace Movement (NPM) recently reported that Boko Haram’s operations in Northern Nigeria amount to a “religious war” against Christians. According to Chief Uzor A. Uzor, the group’s president, over 4,000 people have been killed so far — 2,000 from the South-East, 1,000 from the South-West, and another 1,000 from the North. The statistics, he said, show that Christians, especially Southerners living in the North, are the main targets of these attacks.
The pain remains fresh in the minds of those who buried 14 members of Adazi Nnukwu community in Anambra, seven in Umuna, two in Amaifeke, and one in Okporo, all victims of religious killings. In Adamawa, Bishop Mamza Stephen of Yola described the horror at Waga Chakawa, where Boko Haram insurgents stormed a Catholic church during service, locked the congregation inside, detonated bombs, and slaughtered worshippers trying to flee. “Everybody is living in fear,” the bishop told the BBC. “There is no protection. People can’t sleep with their eyes closed.”
How long will this continue? For how long will Christians remain sitting ducks?
It is time for sober reflection. Faith in Christ does not mean surrendering one’s life to destruction. The Bible says there is “a time for peace, and a time for war.” Perhaps, as in Esther’s day, the time has come for Christians to combine prayer with preparedness.
History reminds us that evil thrives when good people do nothing. Self-defense is not an act of unbelief; it is a defense of the sanctity of life, a gift from God. While the Church must never preach hate or vengeance, it must also not encourage helplessness in the face of violent oppression.
Christians can remain faithful and peaceful, yet ready to protect their lives, families, and places of worship. Peace, after all, is preserved not only by prayer but by wisdom and vigilance.
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