FG Not Committed To Protecting Lives – Catholic Bishops

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on Wednesday frowned on the failure of the federal government to deal with herdsmen killings, banditry and kidnapping in the country.

In a statement signed  by the President, Augustine Akubeze, and Secretary, Camillus Umoh, the bishops said the government was not committed to protecting  lives in the country as it was yet to make any arrest despite the numerous cases of violence and murder in the country.

“The level of insecurity in Nigeria today is such that whether at home or on the road, most Nigerians, in all the parts of the country, live in fear.

According to the CBCN the repeated ‘barbaric execution’ of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group and other terrorists have traumatised many citizens.

“That the perpetrators of these heinous crimes make public shows of them on social media and Nigerians do not hear of any arrest or prosecution of the criminals, raises grave questions about the ability and the willingness of the government to protect the lives of the ordinary Nigerians.

“ To make matters worse, many communities are constantly threatened, harassed and sometimes even sacked by herdsmen, as they seek to take over more territories to graze their cattle forcefully,” the statement read.

The group, however, called the international community to assist Nigeria in the fight against insurgency and militant  herdsmen, noting that the consequences of continuous insecurity in Nigeria will not only affect West African sub-region but will extend to other regions in the continent,

Recall that the CBCN in 2018 led Christians across the country in peaceful protests against repeated killings by herdsmen in  conflict over grazing  land.The Catholic Bishop,s who began the 2020 Lenten Season on Wednesday, also protested in Abuja against killings across the country.