Catholic Bishops Demand Swift Prosecution Of Terrorists, Credible Polls

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged the federal government to swiftly prosecute terrorists and their sponsors, warning that any delay or pardon breeds complicity.

The outgoing president of the CBCN, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, spoke at a press conference marking the close of the First Plenary Assembly at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) Resource Centre in Abuja. The week-long assembly, themed “Leadership for the Common Good,” brought together bishops from across the country to deliberate on national issues.

Addressing the gathering on behalf of the bishops, Archbishop Ugorji painted a grim picture of the nation’s security situation. While acknowledging government efforts, he highlighted the persistent tragedies befalling citizens.

“We observe that despite efforts by government, massacres, mass kidnappings, and displacement of persons from their homeland persist,” he said. “We mourn the over 200 brothers and sisters, both Christians and Muslims, recently massacred in Woro and Nuku villages of Kwara State, and the ongoing mass kidnappings in Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kogi, and many other parts of the country.”

In response, the bishops called for a technological overhaul of the security apparatus. “Recognising the need for more proactive measures in protecting Nigerians, we call for more investment in modern surveillance technology, stronger intelligence gathering, and swift prosecution of terrorists and their sponsors,” Archbishop Ugorji stated. “Delay or pardon breeds complicity.”

The bishops also turned their attention to the country’s troubled economy, describing the situation as alarming. They noted the paradox of Nigeria’s resource wealth failing to translate into prosperity for its citizens and linked illegal mining to the funding of terrorism.

While welcoming the government’s establishment of “Mining Marshals,” they insisted it must be a first step, not a solution.

“We therefore urge the government to deploy advanced monitoring tools, secure mining sites,” the Archbishop said. “They should support local farmers rather than embarking on mass importation of food, as a way of lowering the prices of food items, which is hurtful to local farmers. Rather than this, we urge government to give subsidies and all other forms of support to local farmers and provide them with security so they can return to the farm without fear of attack.”

The integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process was also a major concern, as the bishops warned that poor leadership and electoral malpractice are eroding trust in Nigeria’s democracy. To restore voter confidence, the Conference demanded specific technological safeguards for future elections.

“We call for reforms to ensure mandatory real-time transmission of election results from the polling units to the collation centres via BVAS and IReV, in order to restore voter confidence and legitimacy,” Archbishop Ugorji said. “Without this transparency, the will of the people is in danger of being subverted by ‘human interference’.”

The bishops passionately encouraged citizens not to be disenfranchised, urging them to get their voter’s cards ready, go out to vote, and defend their votes. “Nigerian voters must not give up,” they said.

The Plenary Assembly also served as a transition point for the leadership of the Conference. Archbishop Ugorji formally presented the newly elected principal officers: Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna as President; Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos as Vice President; Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo of Abeokuta as Secretary; and Most Rev. Peter Chukwu of Abakaliki as Assistant Secretary.

In his valedictory message, Archbishop Ugorji struck a note of hope, calling on Nigerians to resist despair. “A better Nigeria is possible. We must never give in to despair. Our faith calls us to serve the least among us and to work collectively for social transformation rooted in the common good,” he concluded.