‘Pray for Nigeria,’ Says Okoroafor as CAN Ends Days of National Mourning   

The Deputy Territorial Chairman of The Apostolic Church Nigeria (T.A.C.N), Igboland Territory, Apostle Joseph Okoroafor has stressed the need for Christians to pray for Nigeria.

Apostle Okoroafor was speaking on Sunday, at The Apostolic Church Nigeria Umuahia Area headquarters to conclude three days of National Mourning and Prayers declared by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had declared a three-day National Mourning and Prayer period from Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14, 2026, designating Sunday as Black Sunday in response to the escalating rates of kidnapping, banditry, mass displacement, and violent attacks across the country.

In a sermon titled, “Pray for Nigeria”, taken from Psalms 122:1-9, Apostle Okoroafor, who is also the Umuahia Area Superintendent of T.A.C.N said that Christians should have the peace of their country at heart and always pray for the nation.

He described the happenings in Nigeria today as disheartening, noting that Christians need to pray for Nigeria and her leaders including security personnel.

“Traveling these days is no longer safe. Things have become difficult in our nation, our Naira has lost its value. Some people find it difficult to eat two times a day.

“Our own Jerusalem today is Nigeria. It’s not by accident that we are Nigerians.

“We need to pray for our leaders and the led. We need to pray for Nigeria against bandits and insurgents. So we need to pray for Nigeria. That’s why on Friday this prayer started.

“We need to pray for the military personnel, the government at all levels, according to 1 Timothy chapter 2, so that we will have peace,” Apostle Okoroafor stated.

The servant of God, who explained that the three-day solemn assembly was organised to seek divine intervention against insecurity bedeviling Nigeria, called on the federal government to give more support to security agents to enable them tackle insecurity.

He further challenged all Nigerians to be security conscious, emphasising that security is everybody’s business.

“Because of the happenings, kidnapping, killings, abductions. Life is no more safe. So we, as Christians decided that we have to call unto the Lord, because that is where our help comes from.

“The Federal Government has been trying, but we need divine intervention for this situation.

“Everybody should be security conscious. Watch and know the type of people around you, the type of people you see. Because security is not the government’s business alone. it is everybody’s business.

“The advice I want to give to the federal government, while we are praying for them, they have to help the military departments and give them more support. I know it is a risk, they are there to defend the country.

“So that, if they have all the necessary support they need, so that this particular menace has to be abated in this country.

Speaking in an interview, an Elder in the body of Christ, Elder Ernest Iheukwumere Ibeji said that the essence of the prayer was to make sure that insecurity, which is emerging in the country, was put in check.

“One of the leaders of this country in the past said that if there is continuous insecurity, continuous insubordination, and all these vices, if they stay more than 24 hours, then you know that the government is involved in it.

“And if this government must redeem their image so that people will not have wrong impression about them, they must do something to bring this insecurity on that check,” Elder Ibeji stated.

Also speaking, a mother and participant at the prayers, Mrs Chibuzor Osoka described the heightened insecurity in the nation as highly disturbing and called on the Nigeria leaders to act immediately to stem the tides of insecurity.

The conclusion of the three-day mourning and prayers attracted many congregants while prayers were offered for Nigeria, her leaders at all levels including Governor Alex Otti of Abia state, the military and other security personnel among others.