Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has called on Nigeria’s leaders to confront insecurity, poverty and political greed with renewed resolve, warning that the country risks losing its moral soul if violence and neglect continue unchecked.
In his 2025 Christmas message titled Joy and Hope in a Time of Tribulation, Kukah said while Christmas is traditionally a season of joy, Nigeria remains stuck in a valley of violence and sorrow, with citizens trapped by insecurity, hardship and fear.
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He stressed that the birth of Christ offers a powerful reminder that hope is still possible even in the darkest times.
“Despite it all, Emmanuel God is among us, urging Nigerians to embrace what he described as a light that darkness cannot overcome”
He challenged political leaders to act decisively to reduce the suffering of citizens, arguing that although resources may not be enough “to feed the greed of our elite, they are sufficient to feed our people”
Kukah said the persistence of violence across the country has left communities weary and inconsolable, as cycles of killing and destruction repeatedly shatter moments of calm.
He draws parallels with the biblical account of Christ’s birth, noting that Jesus himself was born into poverty and violence, marked by King Herod’s massacre of innocent children. According to him, Christmas is therefore not a denial of suffering, but a call to resilience.
“This is not the time to falter, faith demands renewed strength even when circumstances tempt people to despair”
The bishop lamented what he described as Nigeria’s growing harvest of violence against children, pointing to abductions, early marriages, slavery and various forms of abuse.
He recalled cases such as the Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls, warning that the fate of many victims has faded into silence due to what he called “the official complicity of a negligent state.”
“Our children are our future,” Kukah said, stressing that the continued exposure of young people to violence and exploitation threatens the very foundation of the nation.
Beyond lamentation, the cleric urged Nigerians to take collective responsibility for confronting the roots of insecurity.
He argued that criminal groups ravaging communities are not strangers but products of society itself, nurtured by years of poor governance, miseducation and moral decay.
“The men of evil that have descended among us are the product of our toxic politics of selfishness and greed for power, noting that northern Nigeria remains the epicentre of the crisis due to high levels of poverty, illiteracy and disease.
While acknowledging the long history of Christian persecution, Kukah cautioned against responding to violence with violence, insisting that faith, prayer and moral witness remain the strongest tools available to believers.
“Violence cannot defeat violence, I urge Nigerians to choose peace, reconciliation and higher moral standards.
The bishop also paid tribute to victims of insecurity across the country, saying Nigerians owe the dead and their families prayers and a commitment to building a more just and peaceful society.
He called on citizens to see Christmas not merely as a festive date but as a vocation to reflect love and compassion in everyday life.
In a rare note of relief, he said that all abducted children linked to recent incidents had been safely returned, commending the federal government and those who worked and prayed for their release.
He warned that such incidents remain one ordeal too many and prayed that Nigeria would see an end to what he described as an “absurd theatre” of violence.