Catholic Bishops have warned against what they described as “unprecedented insecurities” and “astronomical rise in banditry and the wanton killings of innocent Nigerians.”
The caution came at the end of the first meeting of the year 2026 of the Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province which held at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos on Thursday, 5 February 2026.
Contained in a communique signed by the Archbishop of Lagos and Metropolitan of the Province, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins and theBishop of Ijebu-Ode, Most Rev. (Dr.) Francis Obafemi Adesina and obtained by Advocatus Africa, the religious leaders who warned against impunity, called for collaborative efforts to safeguard the nation.
“The pervasive and deepening sufferings endured by the masses,” highly condemnable
The Bishops regrated that “With heavy hearts, we must condemn in the strongest possible terms the pervasive and deepening sufferings endured by the masses of our people. The rising tide of dehumanizing poverty, the momentous and unprecedented insecurities, and the epidemic of kidnappings for ransom have created a climate of fear, despair, and utter desolation for countless families.”
In the communique the Bishop also condemned of targeted violence in the country, the Bishops further lamented “The continuous existence of IDPS is a clear testimony that a lot more need to be done to bring back sanity to our land. The social fabric of our nation is being torn asunder. No one is immune from these despicable trend, not even religious and community leaders, military officers and the elites.”
According to them, “We note with grave alarm the astronomical rise in banditry and the wanton killings of innocent Nigerians. We are particularly distressed by the continued massacres and targeted attacks on Christian communities in Kwara, Oyo, Ondo, Benue, Plateau States, and several States in the Northern part of Nigeria. These are not mere statistics; they are our brothers and sisters, whose blood cries to heaven for justice. The seeming impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators is a scandal and an indictment on our moral and legal order.”
Victims of insecurity
The Prelates challenged the government over its failure to restore law and order, peace and security in the country.
Collaborative efforts will safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation
“It is our painful duty to state that the Federal and State Governments are not doing enough to quell this raging insecurity. The primary purpose of any government is the protection of life and property. When citizens are slaughtered in their homes, on their farms, and on the highways with monotonous regularity, it constitutes a fundamental failure of this sacred duty” they underscored.
While calling “for a decisive, robust, and intelligent security strategy that prioritizes human life, dislodges criminal safe havens, and addresses the root causes of this destabilizing violence, including poverty, unemployment, and communal grievances” the Fathers of the Church also beckoned on the international community to intervene.
“We acknowledge and commend the efforts of the United States Government and other international partners to collaborate with Nigeria in combating insecurity. Such collaboration must be founded on the principles of respect for our national sovereignty, transparency, and a primary, genuine focus on protecting the most vulnerable civilian populations. All support must be accountable and directed toward restoring peace and safeguarding the territorial integrity of our nation.
“We equally urge the international community to assist our law enforcement agencies, including the DSS and EFCC, by providing intelligence that will help identify, apprehend, and prosecute corrupt individuals who sponsor and promote the activities of kidnappers and bandits. This is essential to ensure swift justice and deterrence.”
Recall that in a similar communique issued at the end of the annual meeting of the Catholic Bishops of Kaduna, Abuja, and Jos Ecclesiastical Provinces which held at the Secretariat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna from 27 – 29 January 2026, the Bishops challenged the government to take urgent action to secure lives and livelihoods in the region amid the growing killing of innocent people across the nation.
