by Akan Ido
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have expressed their displeasure at the state of insecurity in the country.
The Bishops released a statement recently at the Second Annual Plenary in Warri, Delta State, urging the Federal Government to be more alive to its responsibility of securing the lives and properties of citizens.
It said the meeting has been inundated with “first-hand and horrifying reports reaching from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Kano and Kaduna states about the mass slaughter of fellow Nigerians; the burning and sacking of whole villages and churches and rectories.”
The statement which was signed by the CBCN President, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama and Secretary, Most Rev. William Avenya, the Bishops said, “In the face of this Boko Haram group and other criminal militias arming themselves beyond our legitimate government and brazenly killing innocent, defenseless citizens, our government must do more than it is currently doing to safeguard our lives and defend our nation.
“It must do more than it is currently doing to fight off and disarm these actual destroyers of Nigerians and Nigeria. It must do more than it is currently doing to prevent segments of our nation from drifting, anarchy and mutual self-destruction and bring criminals to justice.”
The clerics went further to urge public officers in all tiers of government to be mindful of the danger posed by insecurity to the unity of the nation.
“We warn every Nigerian community at local and state levels to be alert to the grave danger facing all of us and our nation from within and from without.
“The issue is not about who becomes president or governor or senator after the 2015 general elections. The issue is about the life and security of every one of us who loves his or her life and really cares about our living together in peace as noble Nigerians.
“We urge therefore that we all support and encourage every positive effort by the current government to protect every Nigerian and defend the integrity and unity of Nigeria. Let us equally take lawful measures locally to prevent the destruction of fellow Nigerians and to ward off Nigeria’s destroyers,” the statement read.
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