Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the escalating wave of killings and abductions across the country, warning that Nigeria is fast becoming a “field of grief” as violence continues unchecked.
In a joint press statement titled “The Cry of the Innocent: Stop this Slaughterhouse in Nigeria!”, the Catholic body expressed deep outrage and sorrow over what it described as a renewed cycle of mass violence that has left communities shattered and citizens exhausted by what it called “empty condolences that do not guarantee their safety.”
The statement was signed amd issued on Sunday by the Secretary General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo and the National Director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh.
According to the Secretariat, persistent insecurity despite repeated complaints and promises has turned the crisis into a national stain. It noted that “this renewed cycle of mass violence has turned our country into a field of grief,” adding that the ongoing killings amount to “an ongoing assault on human life and dignity.”
Highlighting recent incidents, CSN questioned how the scale of violence could be justified outside a formal war situation.
“How can it be justified that, outside of war, over 160 innocent civilians were slaughtered in one coordinated attack in Woro, Kwara State?” the statement asked.
It also referenced “the repeated killings and abductions in Agwara and Tungan Gero in Niger State, the wiping out of entire farming communities in Katsina and Kaduna, and the ongoing violence in Borno,” stressing that, “This is not ‘instability’ but a massacre allowed by silence and a betrayal of every Nigerian’s right to live in peace.”
The Catholic Secretariat reminded government officials that the 1999 Constitution places a binding obligation on the state to protect lives and property, warning that continued failure to do so erodes the legitimacy of leadership.
“The Constitution is not a lofty document of ideals but a binding covenant with the people,” CSN stated, adding that, “A government that struggles unsuccessfully to safeguard its people risks diminishing its moral authority to lead.”
The statement further warned against official silence, describing it as dangerous and complicit.
“Silence in the face of such horror as we now have in Nigeria can hardly escape being labelled as complicit,” it said, noting that “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 Catholic body cautioned against normalising mass killings, insisting that “Nigeria cannot afford to normalise bloodshed or treat mass killings as routine tragedies.”
Referencing Nigeria’s international obligations, CSN recalled that the country is a signatory to both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee the right to life.
“Yet, the state continues to treat this right as optional, allowing bloodshed to persist unchecked,” the statement lamented.
In response to the worsening security situation, the Catholic Secretariat renewed its call on the Federal Government to urgently review and strengthen its security strategy. Among its recommendations, CSN urged authorities to “intensify efforts in redeploying security forces strategically from ceremonial press centers to the actual frontlines where citizens are under siege,” while also seeking assistance “from anywhere it is safely available.”
It further demanded that government must “identify, expose, and prosecute the sponsors and enablers of terror, regardless of their political, religious or social status,” and ensure that “every perpetrator of violence” is arrested and punished, warning that “impunity is nothing less than a license for further bloodshed.”
The Church also called for immediate humanitarian intervention, including “urgent relief, psychosocial care, and compensation to victims and their families,” as well as the protection and rebuilding of destroyed communities “to restore hope and dignity to the indigenes of the land.”
Declaring that Nigeria stands at a critical moment, CSN warned against allowing mass deaths to define the nation’s identity.
“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We cannot allow mass graves to define our national story,” the statement read. “The blood of all innocent Nigerians cry out to heaven, and their memory must compel us to act with sincerity, courage and compassion.”
The Catholic Secretariat called on political, religious and community leaders to rise above divisions and work collectively to restore peace, while urging citizens to reject hatred and violence and stand in solidarity with one another.
“As a people of faith, we entrust our nation to God’s mercy and pray for healing, justice, and reconciliation,” the statement concluded. “May the sacrifice of the innocent not be in vain, but inspire a renewed commitment to protect life and build a Nigeria where peace and justice reign.”