The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has strongly criticised both the Federal Government and the Benue State Government for what they described as a glaring failure to protect citizens.
In a statement issued with “heavy hearts and deep anguish,” Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the CBCN and Archbishop of Owerri, condemned the attacks on defenceless communities as “utterly barbaric,” lamenting the widespread destruction of lives and property.
“The cold-blooded killings, the razing of homes, and the displacement of families are an affront to God and a stain on our collective humanity,” the bishops stated. “These acts serve as a terrifying reminder of the collapse of security in our nation.”
The CBCN stressed that no amount of infrastructural development or salary payments can compensate for the failure to guarantee the safety of human lives, which they described as the most sacred duty of any government.
While urging both state and federal authorities to act decisively, the bishops called for the swift restoration of peace, the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators, and justice for victims of the violence.
“Any government that fails to prioritise the safety and protection of its citizens forfeits its core responsibility and moral authority to lead,” the concluded concluded.
