- The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) (https://CSNigeria.org) decries the relentless wave of killings and abductions that continue to plague our nation. After years of repeated complaints and unfulfilled promises, violence persists unchecked, leaving more communities devastated and citizens weary of empty condolences that do not guarantee their safety. This renewed cycle of mass violence has turned our country into a field of grief, and CSN expresses its profound outrage and sorrow at the ongoing assault on human life and dignity.
- Just between late January into February 2026, the recurring carnage has become a stain on the conscience of our nation. How can it be justified that, outside of war, over 160 innocent civilians were slaughtered in one coordinated attack in Woro, Kwara State? How do we explain the repeated killings and abductions in Agwara and Tungan Gero in Niger State, the wiping out of entire farming communities in Katsina and Kaduna, and the ongoing violence in Borno? This is not ‘instability’ but a massacre allowed by silence and a betrayal of every Nigerian’s right to live in peace.
- The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria reminds our leaders that the Constitution is not a lofty document of ideals but a binding covenant with the people. When citizens are slaughtered with impunity and communities live in perpetual fear, the very foundation of governance is undermined. A government that struggles unsuccessfully to safeguard its people risks diminishing its moral authority to lead.
- Silence in the face of such horror as we now have in Nigeria can hardly escape being labelled as complicit. Every unaddressed attack, every unpunished crime, and every unfulfilled promise deepens the wound of mistrust between the people and those entrusted with their protection. Nigeria cannot afford to normalise bloodshed or treat mass killings as routine tragedies.
- It is necessary to remind ourselves that Nigeria is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which affirm the right to life as fundamental and non‑negotiable. Yet, the state continues to treat this right as optional, allowing bloodshed to persist unchecked.
- The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria therefore renews its call to the Federal Government to be purposeful in revisiting its strategies by considering the following measures:
i. Intensify efforts in redeploying security forces strategically from ceremonial press centers to the actual frontlines where citizens are under siege. Seek assistance from anywhere it is safely available.
ii. Identify, expose, and prosecute the sponsors and enablers of terror, regardless of their political, religious or social status.
iii. Arrest and punish every perpetrator of violence; for impunity is nothing less than a license for further bloodshed.
iv. Provide urgent relief, psychosocial care, and compensation to victims and their families, while guarding and rebuilding destroyed communities to restore hope and dignity to the indigenes of the land.
- Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We cannot allow mass graves to define our national story. The blood of all innocent Nigerians cry out to heaven, and their memory must compel us to act with sincerity, courage and compassion. The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria calls on all leaders, political, religious, and community, to rise above division and work together to restore peace and dignity to our land. We urge every Nigerian to reject hatred and violence, and to stand firm in solidarity with one another.
- As a people of faith, we entrust our nation to God’s mercy and pray for healing, justice, and reconciliation. May the sacrifice of the innocent not be in vain, but inspire a renewed commitment to protect life and build a Nigeria where peace and justice reign.
Very Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo
Secretary General
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria
Very Rev. Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
Nat’l Director of Social Communications
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN).
