Pastor Femi Lazarus Goes Viral After Bandit Attack at His Church — Outrage Mounts Over His Previous Comments on Christian Persecution

A fiery wave of outrage has erupted online following a horrific bandit raid on a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, on November 18, 2025, just days after Pastor Femi Lazarus made controversial remarks on the national stage.

According to reports, the violent attack left two worshippers dead, left a vigilante wounded, and resulted in the church pastor being abducted during service — a brutal event captured in a live-stream video that has since gone viral.

The tragedy comes at a tense moment for Lazarus, who previously faced backlash in early November after a sermon in which he dismissed U.S. warnings about Christian genocide in Nigeria, framing them instead as evidence that the government is winning its fight against insecurity. Now, with his own flock under attack, critics are questioning the sincerity and consequences of his earlier statements.

In the livestream of the church assault, masked gunmen stormed the building, firing indiscriminately and causing panic among congregants. Shouts, chaos, and confusion filled the screen as people fled or fell in the darkness. Within hours, the video spread across X and WhatsApp, reigniting long-standing conversations about the ongoing banditry epidemic in Northern and Middle-Belt Nigeria — a crisis that advocacy groups say has claimed more than 60,000 Christian lives since 2009.

Social media users have expressed sharp condemnation. Many have labeled Lazarus’ earlier sermon tone-deaf, pointing out that his dismissal of persecution rhetoric now looks dangerously out of touch when his own church is targeted. One viral comment reads: “He said Christian genocide was just a political narrative. Now look where it came visiting.” Another accused the pastor of cashing in on fear, while some blamed his large platform for contributing to complacency among believers.

On the other hand, Lazarus’ supporters argue that his message wasn’t meant to downplay real violence, but to challenge foreign narratives he believes are being weaponized. Several of his followers claim that his emphasis on “government success” was intended to foster hope and faith in Nigeria’s security apparatus, not deny the suffering of victims.

Still, many are now calling for more than words. Civic leaders, human rights advocates, and church members are demanding a full investigation into the attack, protection guarantees for religious gatherings, and stronger government action to dismantle the criminal networks terrorizing vulnerable communities. State authorities in Kwara have said they are investigating the incident, but are yet to release detailed findings or identify suspects publicly.

For Pastor Lazarus, this might be the moment when theological debate collides violently with real-world tragedy. A man once defended for his powerful oratory now finds himself in the eye of a social media storm that questions not just his influence, but the deep cost of his worldview in a country besieged by violence.

Watch the video below