Why Everyone is Unsettled in Nigeria, Missionary Oscar Amaechina

Oscar Amaechina is the president of Afri-Mission and Evangelical Network, a missionary group based in the north. In this interview, he talks about the security problems in the country and the reasons behind them. He also shares solutions to tackle these issues and what his organization is doing to help national development.

PREMIUM TIMES: Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network recently rented apartments for 72 internally displaced families in the FCT and surrounding areas. What inspired this initiative?

Oscar: This idea came from a nudge from the Holy Spirit to help displaced families who have lost their homes and livelihoods. I had this thought when we had funding available to make it happen. We chose to rely on faith, trusting God to provide. Thanks to the support from World Outreach Ministry International and Ignited Church, we made this vision a reality.

PREMIUM TIMES: How has the ongoing insecurity, especially in the north, affected your missionary work in the region?

Oscar: Honestly, working in Northern Nigeria has been tough due to security issues. There are areas we can no longer safely access, limiting our outreach efforts. Because of this, we are focusing more on our Diaspora Mission Project to reach people who have not heard the Gospel.

PREMIUM TIMES: Share a bit about your missionary activities: the successes, challenges, and your outlook.

Oscar: I started as a missionary, but now I serve as both a missionary and a humanitarian worker. Initially, my goal was to spread the Gospel and the love of Christ. However, in some places, we found that humanitarian aid is crucial for people to see God's love. We developed programs like Feed the Hungry, Clothe the Naked, Clean Water Programme, Education Programme, Orphan and Vulnerable Children Programme, Prison Ministry, Hospital Mission, Skill Acquisition Programme, and Rental Housing Support Programme for displaced persons. Now, we focus more on actions than words, showing the love of Christ to the world.

The Highs

One of our biggest joys is seeing people come to Christ through our Gospel and acts of kindness. We have helped widows, abandoned women, and single mothers find hope. Children who had never been to school are now learning through our educational support. Displaced families have received shelter and assistance. We have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and provided sewing machines to prisoners for skills training. Hundreds of women have received training in catering and baking, and many are now thriving in their businesses. Our Micro-Loan discipleship scheme has helped numerous vulnerable women grow their businesses. Our successes are numerous! Partnerships with Ignited Family and other compassionate groups have helped us reach more people.

The Lows

Like many mission organizations in Nigeria, we have faced times of helplessness and frustration when pressing needs far exceeded our resources. It is hard to see displaced persons struggling without enough support. Sometimes, we have had to postpone or cancel important projects due to time constraints. Despite these issues, we stay dedicated to our mission and trust God for the resources we need to help vulnerable communities. We budget not by what we have but by what God can provide.

The Challenges

Our main challenges include insecurity, limited funds, rising humanitarian needs, access to some communities, inflation, and economic pressures. Finding ways to support displaced persons, women, and children is a major challenge for us.

PREMIUM TIMES: Some believe Christians are the main victims of attacks and banditry in Nigeria. But it is clear that Muslims also suffer from insecurity. What is your take on this based on your experience in the field?

Oscar: Both Christians and Muslims have faced terrorist attacks. No one should be killed or persecuted for any reason. We believe that God creates everyone in His image, so everyone has dignity and worth. The sad reality is that our nation is hurting, and the blood is the same for everyone. It doesn't matter if the victims are Christians or Muslims; every life is valuable, and every loss is a tragedy.

When we provided housing support for displaced people driven from their homes by terrorism, both Christians and Muslims benefited. Our focus is on their humanity and need for help, not their religion. To tackle the security issues in Nigeria, everyone must work together to fight terrorism, insurgency, and banditry. Only through collective effort, justice, and compassion can we create a safer and more peaceful nation for all.

PREMIUM TIMES: What causes insecurity in Nigeria, and how can we tackle it?

Oscar: The causes of insecurity in Nigeria are many and include poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, weak governance, corruption, ethnicity, religious extremism, and marginalization. Climate change and lack of economic opportunities have worsened the situation.

To address insecurity, we need a multi-angled approach that combines better security measures, job creation, quality education, good governance, climate action, peacebuilding, and community development. Community and faith-based groups also have an important role in addressing insecurity. The messages shared in our churches and mosques should promote love, peace, tolerance, and reconciliation.

As a missionary and humanitarian group, we believe that lasting peace comes when people's basic needs are met. People are hungry in Nigeria, and this creates serious problems. Many go to bed without food and struggle to sleep. Sadly, those who eat well also lose sleep because many hungry people take to crime at night in search of food. Neither the rich nor the poor are sleeping peacefully in Nigeria today.

PREMIUM TIMES: What drives you as a missionary working in the north?

Oscar: My main drive as a missionary in Northern Nigeria is to show the love of Christ through both words and actions. I am passionate about transforming lives spiritually, socially, and economically. The huge needs of vulnerable communities, especially those affected by violence and poverty, push me to serve with compassion and dedication.

I believe every person is made in the image of God and that every life is precious. Everyone deserves hope, dignity, and a chance to thrive. Seeing lives changed keeps me motivated in my missionary and humanitarian work.

PREMIUM TIMES: How do you fund your activities?

Oscar: We fund our activities by relying fully on God’s provisions. We believe that when God’s work is done in His way, He will provide. God touches people's hearts to support our work. Donations come from individuals, churches, and friends of the ministry.

Though funding is a challenge, we aim to use our resources wisely and effectively to help displaced persons, vulnerable women and girls, out-of-school children, prisoners, street beggars, and the sick. We continue to trust God to bring more partners who will join us in this mission.

PREMIUM TIMES: What is your vision for Nigeria, and how do you plan to achieve it?

Oscar: The Nigeria of my dreams is a secure nation where terrorism, banditry, and insurgency are completely eliminated. I envision a place where peace, justice, and righteousness thrive, where people of all ethnicities and religions live together harmoniously. A Nigeria where there is no discrimination, tribalism, or nepotism, and where every tribe is equal. A nation where poverty and hunger are reduced, and leaders act with integrity and accountability. It is a Nigeria that respects every person's dignity, where communities grow spiritually, socially, and economically.

To reach this vision, we need to promote godly values, work hard for responsible leadership through elections, empower vulnerable communities, and encourage interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. At Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network, we contribute by sharing hope, serving communities, caring for the needy, discipling believers, and partnering with others to build a more peaceful and prosperous nation.

PREMIUM TIMES: Share your most interesting experience as a missionary.

Oscar: I have had many interesting experiences, but one that stands out was my encounter with an unreached group in a remote community. When we arrived, we saw the humanitarian crisis was serious and decided to gather resources to help.

The village head and community members called us for a meeting and asked why we came to help them. We explained that it was the love of Christ that moved us to help those in need. One person then said, “This Jesus seems to be a very nice person. Whenever you come here, please bring Him with you. We want to know Him and thank Him for His love and kindness toward our community.” That statement opened the door for us to introduce Christ to them, and they accepted Him. That experience was truly special and remains one of the highlights of my missionary journey.

PREMIUM TIMES: What projects are you currently working on as an organization?

Oscar: We are building a Skills Acquisition Centre to help vulnerable women and youth gain skills in tailoring, catering, baking, cosmetology, beauty services, ICT, bead-making, bag-making, and shoe-making. We are almost done with construction and hope to get the equipment needed to start operations soon. We are also working hard to return 200 out-of-school children displaced by violence to school by September.

Additionally, our Feed the Hungry Programme is ongoing and continues to support vulnerable individuals and families. We recently provided housing support to 72 displaced families in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State, and we are preparing for the second phase of our 2026 Rental Housing Support Programme.

We are also pursuing the Five Million Souls Mandate given to us by my brother and mentor, Pastor Benjamin Faircloth, who passed away in February this year in Lavonia, Georgia, United States.