Olayiwola Matthew
The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has condemned the country’s escalating violence, citing recent mass killings and abductions that have left communities devastated and citizens fearful.
In a statement on titled, “The Cry of the Innocent: Stop this Slaughterhouse in Nigeria!” on Saturday, the CSN expressed outrage over the “relentless wave of killings and abductions” that have plagued the nation, including the killing of over 160 innocent civilians in a coordinated attack in Woro, Kwara State, and other incidents in Agwara, Tungan Gero, Katsina, Kaduna, and Borno.
The CSN statement, signed by Very Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, Secretary General, and Very Rev. Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh, National Director of Social Communications, emphasised that the violence has become a “stain on the conscience of our nation”.
The Church reminded leaders that the Constitution is a binding covenant with the people, and that governance is undermined when citizens are slaughtered with impunity.
The statement called on the Federal Government to take urgent action to address the crisis, including redeploying security forces to frontlines, seeking assistance from anywhere available, identifying and prosecuting sponsors of terror, punishing perpetrators of violence, and providing relief and compensation to victims.
The church stated, “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.
“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.
“The blood of all innocent Nigerians cry out to heaven, and their memory must compel us to act with sincerity, courage and compassion.”
The CSN urged leaders to rise above division and work together to restore peace and dignity to the land, and called on Nigerians to reject hatred and violence.
“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We cannot allow mass graves to define our national story,” the statement concluded.