Church leaders in northern Nigeria have issued an appeal to the government to intensify security efforts, as ongoing violence, kidnappings and killings continue to devastate communities across the region.
The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), the administrative arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has described the current wave of attacks as a “massacre allowed by silence,” condemning what it calls a relentless pattern of brutality that has left hundreds dead and many more abducted.
In a statement, the CSN highlighted recent atrocities across the north and central regions.They include the kidnapping of Fr Nathaniel Asuwaye on 7th February during a gunmen attack on Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Kafanchan Diocese. Another was a mass killing on 3rd February in Woro, Kwara State, where more than 160 villagers, mostly Muslim, were reportedly killed by jihadist militants for refusing to embrace extremist ideology. They also mentioned an attack on 30th January in Kasuwan-Daji, Niger State, which left over 30 people dead and many kidnapped, and included desecration of a nearby Catholic compound.
The CSN statement said the ongoing violence cannot simply be dismissed as “instability” but represents a catastrophic assault on the right to live in peace.
“How can it be justified that, outside of war, over 160 innocent civilians were slaughtered in one coordinated attack?” the statement said. “This is not ‘instability’ but a massacre allowed by silence and a betrayal of every Nigerian’s right to live in peace.”
The Church has called on the Nigerian government to reinforce security forces on the frontlines, identify and prosecute sponsors and enablers of terror regardless of status, and arrest perpetrators of violence. It also urged authorities to provide urgent relief, psychosocial support and compensation to victims and their families, while protecting and rebuilding affected communities to restore hope and dignity.
The provinces of Kaduna, Abuja and Jos, which encompass more than 20 dioceses in the north, echoed the CSN’s appeal, warning that the violence has created fear, trauma and economic hardship, forcing farmers to abandon their livelihoods and deepening hunger and poverty.
“A society cannot flourish where human life is continually threatened,” the provincial leaders said, urging government and security agencies to intensify efforts to protect lives and uphold justice.
Bishop Bulus Yohanna of Kontagora, whose diocese was the victim of the kidnapping of 320 people from a Catholic school in Papiri, also issued a personal appeal, calling for the establishment of a military base in the region to enhance security.
The Pope has spoken out too. During his weekly Angelus prayer in Rome, he condemned the violence, saying he was “with sorrow and concern” over the heavy loss of life and expressing his “prayerful closeness to all the victims of violence and terrorism.” He urged authorities to work with determination to ensure the safety and protection of every citizen.
