Lifestyle
Wicked People: Powerful Nigerian Pastor Blasts US, Speaks Out On Christian Genocide
Pastor David Abioye condemned attempts to deny Christian killings in Nigeria and labelled those dismissing the crisis as wicked people
US envoy Massad Boulos dismissed genocide claims and said terrorism in Nigeria affected both Christians and Muslims
Abioye urged Christians to remain steadfast in faith despite persecution and called on God to strengthen believers.
A prominent Nigerian pastor and founder of Living Word Conquerors Global Assembly, David Abioye, has spoken out against what he described as attempts to deny the ongoing persecution and mass killings of Christians in Nigeria, describing those dismissing the crisis as “wicked people.”
The remarks come shortly after the United States Special Envoy for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, dismissed claims of an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Boulos, who serves as a senior adviser to former US President Donald Trump, stated during a visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Friday, October 17, that terrorism in Nigeria affects both Christians and Muslims.
“Those people who are on the ground know that terrorism is religionless, colourless, and tribeless,” Boulos said. “People of all faiths and all nations are being killed because of terrorism. Boko Haram and ISIS have ended up killing more Muslims than Christians.” He added that many violent clashes in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are driven by competition for resources rather than religion. “It is not something that can be said to target any specific religious denomination,” he stated.
Addressing his congregation during a recent service, the pastor lamented the growing distortion surrounding reports of Christian killings in parts of the country. He accused some leaders of deliberately denying the atrocities for personal gain.
“There’s a lot of distortion going on. People are claiming there is no genocide against Christians in this nation. You see people buried in hundreds, and you say there is no genocide. What a wicked set of people!” he said passionately
He further warned that the violence, which has claimed thousands of lives in the country’s Middle Belt and northern regions, was gradually spreading southward. “This one is very clear,” he said. “Gradually, it is eating down to the South-South-West, South-East, and many so-called leaders, for their personal interest, are claiming it’s not happening. They are selling out their faith.”
The pastor, invoking the words of Jesus Christ, encouraged Christians not to lose faith in the face of persecution. “Jesus said, ‘When I come, will I find faith?’ We are standing here to say to Jesus, the faith will keep standing,” he declared. “Raise your voice and pray, Father, strengthen the brethren, strengthen the faith.”
The issue of Christian persecution in Nigeria has long been a point of contention between local religious leaders and international observers. While Christian groups maintain that their members are being deliberately targeted, some foreign officials insist that the violence is more complex and not purely religious.
Lifestyle
FULL LIST: Breakdown of Nigerian Ambassadors’ Salaries, Allowances Revealed
BREAKDOWN EMERGES

Nigerian ambassadors’ pay packages have come under renewed attention. Fresh figures revealed that while basic salaries remained modest, allowances significantly boosted overall compensation for diplomats posted abroad
Reports showed that total monthly take-home pay often reached several million naira, reflecting the high costs of overseas postings
According to Salary.com, as of December 2025, the average annual salary for employees at the Nigerian Embassy in the United States stood at $93,909. This translated to an approximate hourly wage of $45.
Salaries at the embassy typically ranged from $82,124 to $107,453 annually, reflecting the diverse roles and levels of experience within the organisation. Reports indicated that pay was influenced by factors such as job role, department, years of service, and location.
Nigerian Ambassador Salary Structure
Rufai Oseni of Arise TV reported that the salary of Nigerian ambassadors was governed by the Consolidated Diplomatic, Consular and Foreign Service Cadre Salary Structure (CONPSS) in the Nigerian public service. Ambassadors usually fell into the highest grade levels, GL 17 or equivalent, with additional allowances for overseas postings.
Based on government budget allocations, salary surveys, and reports on foreign service personnel costs, the basic salary was described as modest by international standards but supplemented by substantial allowances.
Basic Salary of Nigerian Ambassadors Monthly Basic Pay:
Approximately ₦800,000 to ₦1,200,000 (about $485–$727 USD).
Annual Basic Salary: ₦9.6 million to ₦14.4 million (about $5,818–$8,727 USD).
These figures were drawn from the CONPSS scale for top-tier diplomatic officers. Entry-level foreign service officers reportedly earned around ₦300,000–₦500,000 monthly, but ambassadors, being at the top of the career ladder, commanded the upper end.
The figures also aligned with general public sector pay for Grade Level 17 officers, adjusted for inflation and the 2025 minimum wage increase to ₦70,000.
Allowances and Total Compensation
Reports highlighted that basic pay alone did not reflect the full compensation package.
Nigerian ambassadors posted overseas received allowances designed to offset high living expenses, hardship, and representational duties.
Total monthly take-home pay often exceeded ₦2–5 million ($1,212–$3,030 USD), depending on the host country.
The release of estimated salaries shed light on the financial structure of Nigeria’s foreign service. While the basic salary remained modest compared to international standards, allowances ensured that ambassadors were adequately supported in their overseas postings.
Lifestyle
Public Holiday Notice: FG to Declare Work-Free Day in Third Quarter of 2026
Breaks are the perfect time to have quality time with one’s loved ones and knowing holiday time ahead is crucial for planning holidays, family visits, and experiencing exciting activities.
Holidays, both religious and secular, are declared for a variety of reasons, including celebrating shared history and values, fostering community connections, and providing work-life balance by taking a day off from work.
Many holidays also commemorate important people or historic events. To this end, Legit has noted the forthcoming public holiday, assisting readers in planning effectively.
In Nigeria, there is only one public holiday in the third quarter (July 1 – September 30) of 2026: Eid ul-Mawlid. Eid ul-Mawlid 2026 may be observed on Wednesday, August 26 (tentative date).
Full List of Public Holidays Federal Govt of Nigeria Will Declare in 2026

Lifestyle
Rampaging soldier pinned me to bathroom door, assaulted me — UNIOSUN female student
A student of Osun State University, identified simply as Ademola, has narrated how she was assaulted after some some soldiers from the Army Depot, Osogbo invaded the halls of residence of students of the university.
Ademola, in a video shared by OsunDefenderNG, said the incident occurred while she was alone in her room preparing a meal.
According to her, she initially noticed the presence of soldiers around the area, but believed the situation had calmed down before the officers allegedly returned.
Recall that on Monday evening, some soldiers from the Army Depot, Osogbo, invaded halls of residence occupied by students of Osun State University, assaulted several students and carted away more than 60 mobile phones and other electronic gadgets.
Some female students were also reportedly stripped naked and forced to dance unclad by the soldiers, who were said to be among personnel that participated in the Army Depot’s passing-out parade held last Saturday.
Recounting the incident, she said, “My name is Ademola…, a student of Osun State University. I was in my hostel room cooking when I noticed they (soldiers) were around. After a while everything died down. However, later, we started hearing noise again.
“They started pointing their touch to my room and asked who was there and what were they doing this for. The next thing, they asked me to open my door and I opened the door.
“So, one of them asked how many of us was inside the room and I told him two. I also told him my roommate wasn’t around.”
While her emotions betrayed her, Ademola alleged that one of the soldiers then became physically aggressive.
“Then, he pinned me to my bathroom door, told me I would like it. He also told me not to shout. So, I begged him.
“I had to look for a way to get out of his hold and moved to the door. On moving to the door, I told him to move out. He asked if I wanted him to move out,” she added.
She further alleged that another soldier entered the room and attempted to restrain her.
She narrated, “While on that, his colleague came in and also told me to calm down, that I would love it and that I shouldn’t shout.
“So, when they started moving, I shouted and screamed. After shouting, they both moved out and I had to use force to close the door.”
According to the student, one of her hostel mates later came to check on her after hearing the commotion.
“After closing the door, one of my hostel mates that was there came to knock on my door to check up on me and he left,” she said.
Following the incident, the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, on Tuesday, announced that it had commenced an investigation into allegations of misconduct involving some of its personnel after receiving a complaint from the National Association of Nigerian Students, Southwest Zone D.
The Army said the investigation was intended to establish the facts surrounding the incident and assured that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
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