- by Deborah Longe
- April 1, 2026
TuneIn–ReadNewPosts–ListenAgain (Recent & Archived Programmes)–Word-of-the-Day–SendPrayerRequests–Winning Warrior Wives–JoinReadersClub–GetNotifications–Volunteer & Support–BuyBooks
The following is a transcription of On the Lord’s Side Podcast presented on GospelBellsRadio on April 1, 2026 by Olufemi Oguntokun. It may not fully match with the audio, but represents a near perfect transcription of the broadcast.
On the Jos Crisis and the Killing of a Corps Member
Good morning to you once again. It’s Wednesday, the 1st of April 2026. The programme is On the Lord’s Side: Christian Perspectives on News and Current Events. My name is Olufemi Oguntokun. You can follow me on X at Olufemi OG, and you can follow Gospel Bells Radio on X at Gospel Bells Radio.
For more than 15 years now, the carnage of terrorism, banditry, and genocide has gripped our nation, but now more than ever before. This report says: Jos crisis: Newlywed corps member killed in retaliation attack a day to his NYSC passing out, leaves behind pregnant wife.
NYSC in Nigeria is the National Youth Service Corps. It is a programme that is compulsory for every graduate from a Nigerian higher institution who is not above a certain age to participate in national service.
This report says an attack in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State has claimed the lives of two people, including a newlywed corps member, following an earlier deadly assault on a community. The initial attack, which occurred on Sunday, March 29, 2026, Palm Sunday, left 40 people dead.
In the tense aftermath, some aggrieved residents reportedly targeted unsuspecting passers-by on the Jos–Bukuru Highway, resulting in two additional fatalities. Among the victims was Ibrahim Harun, a corps member who had recently married and was scheduled to complete his National Youth Service on Tuesday, March 31. His death has heightened grief and anxiety in the community, as he leaves behind a pregnant wife.
The violence triggered fears of further escalation in the area. In response, the Plateau State government imposed an immediate 48-hour curfew to restore order and prevent additional attacks.
So, what’s happening now? The reason I’m bringing this up is because it allows us the opportunity to properly understand the human tragedy in this chaos and carnage. It is one thing to say that 20 people died, 40 people died. When you humanise the victims, when we humanise the numbers, we begin to see the horror for exactly what it is.
Also, one of the sad things about what happened on Palm Sunday in Jos is that we also have reprisal attacks. My wife spoke to someone whose relatives are in Jos, who confirmed that the people of Jos also attempted to retaliate. My challenge is I do not know against whom they will be retaliating.
We understand that those bandits came on motorbikes, committed those atrocities, and then disappeared. It would be sad if the people of Jos, whether Christians or Muslims, begin to fight one another, and if Christians begin to organize reprisal attacks against Muslims, opening up even more carnage and making the situation more uncontrollable.
This is as sad as it comes. The original sin here is that of those bandits who attacked innocent people on Palm Sunday.
International media are now picking up this story. It is a horrible story deserving of attention. I’m sure that, but for the ongoing war in the Middle East and the Iran crisis, this would have been front and center of news coverage everywhere in the world.
Fox News from the United States reported this, saying: Palm Sunday massacre: At least 20 people were killed in an overnight attack in Nigeria’s north-central region.
Everyone of good conscience is hoping that mainstream media all over the world will focus on this horrible evil that has been festering and enveloping our country for so long.
This is quite sad.
Yesterday, I saw on the WhatsApp status of a dear friend a picture, perhaps a video, of a woman holding her son, begging him to wake up. Of course, the son had been killed by bandits. Such a heartbreaking and distressing situation.
This is why we need to pray for the leaders of the world, that the Lord will grant them wisdom and raise people who will confront this evil.
On the “Oil of Raising Billionaires” Claim by a Nigerian Pastor
Okay, next I want to get to this story.
This is about another preacher in Nigeria who has said something that deserves our engagement.
A pastor in Nigeria, Pastor Kuridi Kumayi, said: “I am among the few pastors on earth with the oil of raising billionaires.”
I wanted to listen to exactly what he said, and this has gotten many people talking on social media in Nigeria.
So, there you have it. This person said he is among the few pastors with the oil of raising billionaires.
It means he claims to have the anointing to teach people how to become billionaires.
God’s anointing is not for raising billionaires.
If any preacher claims to have an anointing not found in the Bible, we should not hesitate to say: that is not the message of Christ.
On Seun Kuti’s Statement Comparing African Heroes to Jesus Christ
This takes me to yet another egregious statement.
This one is from someone popular in the culture, known to be hostile to Christianity, Seun Kuti, son of the late Fela Kuti.
He said: “The sacrifice of Lumumba, Nkrumah, and Steve Biko is greater to me than the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”
You have to read something like this and be profoundly sad.
The report describes him as a Nigerian musician and activist, known for challenging corruption and oppression.
He argued that Jesus knew He would rise again, while these African heroes died knowing they would not.
They did not die for you.
Romans 5:7–8 is referenced:
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person… but God demonstrates His love in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
While we were still sinners, while we were His enemies, Christ died for us.
This is what humbles us as Christians.
It is our prayer that such individuals will come to the knowledge of Christ.
On Closing Remarks and Prayer
I want to thank you for staying with us this morning on Gospel Bells Radio.
I hope to be with you again tomorrow by the grace of God.
Whatever you do today, please remain firm on the Lord’s side. God bless you.
You are listening to GospelBellsRadio.com, the Christian internet radio with a mission to engage the culture with the mind of Christ.
Engaging the culture with the mind of Christ.