Nigeria Could Slide Into Deeper Crisis, Kukah Warns

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has warned that Nigeria is drifting dangerously amid what he described as “endless turbulence.”

He cautioned that the country could slide into a deeper crisis if urgent steps are not taken to restore trust, security and good governance.

In his 2026 Easter message issued yesterday and titled “Faith and Hope in Times of Turbulence”, Kukah painted a grim picture of a nation weighed down by insecurity, economic hardship and leadership challenges.

“Turbulence is Nigeria’s surname,” the cleric declared, describing the country as one trapped in a cycle of instability worsened by what he called “self-generated turbulence by the local elites.”

He said the worsening security situation had spiralled into a humanitarian crisis, with thousands killed, millions displaced, and several communities devastated by violence.

“After over 20 years and well over 20,000 corpses, the grim harvester still roams freely across the country,” he said.

“For now, our nation has become what the late Pope Francis referred to as a field hospital.”

Kukah warned that growing distrust in the military and other government institutions was pushing desperate citizens into dangerous alliances, including collaboration with criminal elements.

“Years of fatigue have lured ordinary citizens into the treacherous embrace of bandits,” he said, noting that some individuals now serve as informants, thereby “trading the future of their families and communities.”

Addressing governance issues, Kukah accused Nigeria’s political elite of failing to fulfil campaign promises, leaving millions of citizens in poverty and many young people without hope for a better future.

“The Nigerian landscape is still riddled with unredeemed promissory notes,” he said.

“Unemployment is smothering the dreams of young people in the cradles of their hope.”

He criticised short-term relief interventions, arguing that such measures reflected deeper systemic failures in governance and planning.

“Merely distributing food is an admission of the failure of our nation to develop robust and aggressive agricultural plans capable of ending hunger,” he said.

Despite the bleak outlook, Kukah urged Nigerians, particularly Christians, not to give in to despair but to remain steadfast in faith and moral responsibility.

“We may be struck down, but we cannot be destroyed,” he said, while emphasising the need to strike a balance between the right to self-defence and the pursuit of peace.

He also urged citizens to play active roles in rebuilding the country, rather than assigning blame solely to leaders.

“It is a great mistake for us to ignore what role each and every one of us can play,” he said.

“Let us not surrender to despair, as we could become guilty bystanders.”

Drawing on biblical imagery, the cleric expressed optimism that Nigeria could overcome its present challenges through faith, unity, and collective action.

“The boat of our nation is threatening to sink, yet even in his sleep, he is awake to command the storm to be still,” he said.

He concluded with a call for both prayer and practical action towards national renewal.

“We pray but must also work hard, believing that the walls created by war and division will ultimately fall,” he added.

The message comes as Nigerians celebrate Easter amid persistent security concerns, rising cost of living, and growing worries about national unity and stability.