The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria CBCN says it is deeply concerned on the state of insecurity in the country saying Nigeria is still in disarray and the country badly divided, as evident in “appointments to positions of national importance, sharing of resources, and distribution of social amenities.
President of CBCN, Rev. Augustine Akubueze and Secretary,
Rev. Camillus Umoh, made these observations in a statement released in Abuja today; Sunday 22, Sept. 2019. The statement said in part “Nigerian democracy is derailing from what it should be”. “qualities of accountability, transparency, independence of the judiciary, respect for fundamental rights, observance of the rule of law, and fair and credible electoral process, are still lacking.”
It further said “There are, unfortunately, still many instances of killings as a result of banditry, kidnapping, assassination, armed robbery, reckless use of force by security agencies and lynching. Lately, too, there is an upsurge in the cases of suicide, even among our youths.
“ the clashes between herdsmen and communities, and the activities of Boko Haram insurgents have continued, in which many innocent people lose their lives. These make living in Nigeria very precarious.
“We recognise the efforts being made by the government to fight insecurity in the land. However, we emphasise that a lot more still needs to be done in this regard. We pray for the peaceful repose of the victims and sympathise with the bereaved families. We continue to urge the government and security agencies to do all they can to secure the immediate release of Leah Sharibu, the remaining Chibok girls and all the other persons still in captivity.
“We reiterate that without adequate security of lives and property, there can be no stability and enabling environment for meaningful development. We observe that the Federal Government, in which the power to control the major security agencies is vested, is overwhelmed. There is, therefore, need for proper decentralization of these agencies for effective results.”
The CBCN also called on governments at all levels to provide the enabling environment that would make it possible for both the government and the private sector to create job opportunities to minimise the menace of insecurity in the country.
The Catholic Bishops said “God had made it possible for the continuous existence of Nigeria as a sovereign nation but keeping it will require efforts from the government and citizens in order to have a nation in which everyone and every part, despite existing diversity in tribe, religion and political affiliation, still finds it a safe place to live.
“No one religion should be favoured over another. There should be fairness, justice and neutrality in relation to all religions and ethnic groups, for where there is no justice, there can be no peace, unity and development. We, therefore, enjoin all Nigerians to see themselves as one united people and work for justice in order to ensure a peaceful and united nation.”
(C) Control TV 2019.
