Nigeria’s Catholic bishops say relentless attacks on Christian communities and government inaction have pushed the nation into a climate of impunity and left citizens in growing fear.
In a sharply worded Nov. 25 statement titled “Peace in Nigeria: Moving from Fragility to Stability,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) urged its government to confront unrelenting violence in the country. The statement was signed by CBCN President Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji of Owerri and Secretary Bishop Donatus Aihmiosion Ogun of Uromi and shared publicly by Father Ugochukwu Ugwoke.
The bishops pointed to a surge of killings, mass abductions, and targeted assaults on predominantly Christian communities that they say have destroyed villages, displaced families, and eroded public trust in the government’s willingness to act.
“It is a matter of grave concern that several predominantly Christian communities, particularly in the Northern and middle belt regions of the country,” the bishops wrote, “have come under repeated pressure and brutal attacks.”
They later added, “The near-total destruction and occupation of some communities, and the continued attacks on displaced persons even in camps, have deepened the people’s sense of abandonment and despair. Such prolonged, unbearable conditions have given credence to allegations of ‘genocide’ in some quarters.”
They cited “disturbing reports of delayed or withheld security responses” that have fueled fears of government collusion or apathy as attackers continue to strike schools, farms, and villages at will.
Recent incidents highlighted in the statement include the abductions of Catholic worshippers in Kwara State, 25 young girls in Kebbi, 13 female farmers in Borno, and the hundreds of students and teachers in Papiri, Niger State. The bishops said that in Southern Taraba, more than 70 people were killed and thousands displaced.
“When criminals can strike schools, farms, and communities with impunity, it threatens the very foundations of family life, education, and social stability,” the statement said. “Such attacks violate our shared humanity and endanger the future of our nation.”
The bishops called on all levels of the government to fulfill their constitutional duty to secure the lives and property of all citizens.
“The Government has both the responsibility and the means to end this violence and must no longer allow impunity to prevail,” they said. “Those responsible for these heinous crimes must be identified and brought to justice, for without accountability there can be no lasting peace.”
They urged authorities to secure the release of all abductees — including the Papiri students and teachers, the Kebbi schoolgirls, and the women kidnapped in Borno — and to investigate claims of delayed security responses.
“Lasting peace cannot be achieved through silence or delay,” they warned. “It requires justice, courage, and a firm commitment to the sanctity of human life. Nigerians and the global community can no longer tolerate excuses for continued insecurity.”
>> In Angelus address, Pope appeals for release of hostages in Nigeria, Cameroon <<
The bishops also denounced ongoing violations of Christians’ rights, citing denials of land for church construction, the destruction of Christian worship sites, and the “overreach” of Sharia courts in northern states. They pointed to the 2022 mob killing of Christian student Deborah Samuel Yakubu in Sokoto as a tragic example of religious extremism left unchecked.
They also criticized the Hisbah, state-backed Islamic morality police in the north, saying the group’s actions have led to harassment of both Christians and Muslims and undermined Nigeria’s character.
“Their [the Hisbah’s] rigid interpretations of religious norms, often influenced by extremist ideologies, undermine communal harmony and threaten national cohesion,” they said. “Nigeria's rich religious and cultural pluralism must foster unity, mutual respect, and peace rather than division.”
Despite worsening conditions, the bishops praised the resilience of ordinary Nigerians and urged them to remain united in the pursuit of peace.
The statement concluded with a plea for the protection of Our Lady: “May God, through the intercession of Our Lady, Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, grant our nation and its people peace, healing, and restoration. Amen.”