Nigeria Sliding into Insecurity': Bishops Sound Nationwide Alarm, Demand Government Action

-By Ruben Mario Brodrick 

​ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has issued a scathing, strongly-worded warning that the nation is rapidly descending into a state of profound insecurity and fragility, demanding urgent and decisive intervention from government authorities to restore peace and stability.

 In a press release titled “Peace in Nigeria: Moving from Fragility to Stability,” the prelates expressed deep concern over the "deplorable security situation" and the "ongoing discourse heating up the nation’s fragile social and religious climate."

 The Crisis: A Catalogue of Atrocities

​The Bishops unequivocally condemned the persistent violence by "murderous groups" that have claimed countless lives, destroyed homes, and displaced families.

 They underscored the scale of the crisis by detailing recent, specific tragedies that demonstrate the impunity of the attackers: 265 students and teachers abducted in Papiri, Niger State.

​70+ people brutally killed and thousands displaced in Southern Taraba.

 25 young girls seized in Kebbi State.

 13 female farmers were taken in Borno State.

​The recent abduction of worshippers in Kwara State (who have since been released).

​"When criminals can strike schools, farms, and communities with impunity," the CBCN stated, "it violates our shared humanity and endangers the future of our nation."

​The Demand: Government Must Act Now:

 Citing their constitutional duty under Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, the Bishops issued a direct challenge to the government at all levels: to "urgently and decisively fulfil its foremost duty… to protect the lives and property of all citizens.”

​They insisted that the government possesses the "responsibility and the means to end this violence and must no longer allow impunity to prevail."

 Key demands from the Bishops included:

 Securing All Hostages: Taking "all lawful and urgent measures" to ensure the immediate and safe return of all abducted persons, specifically naming the students in Kontagora and the young girls from Kebbi and Borno.

 Investigating Security Lapses: A thorough investigation into "reports of delayed or withheld security responses in some affected communities" to rebuild public trust.

 Threats to Secularism and Religious Harmony

 The revered body also drew attention to systematic issues affecting Christian minorities, describing them as "persistent violations."

​The prelates criticized:

 Denial of Rights: The denial of land for church construction, particularly within federal institutions, and the destruction of Christian places of worship.

​Constitutional Concerns: The "overreach of Sharia Courts" in some states, which they warned "threatens Nigeria’s secular character and infringes on the rights of Christian minorities."

 Morality Groups: The activities of morality enforcement groups like Hisbah, whose "rigid interpretations of religious norms... undermine communal harmony and threaten national cohesion."

​The Bishops also reiterated their demand for justice for Deborah Samuel Yakubu, noting that impunity in such cases "undermines the rule of law."

​A Call for National Resilience

​Despite the harsh assessment, the religious leaders commended the "remarkable resilience and trust" of the Nigerian people.

 They concluded by urging citizens to become "agents of healing," reject hatred, and uphold justice, dialogue, and mutual respect, stressing that "peace is not the responsibility of a select few. It is the duty of all.”