NIGERIA: Church demands government stops the bloodshed

THE Catholic Church in northern Nigeria is imploring the government to step up security amid ongoing violence, kidnappings and killings.

Following fresh atrocities, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), several ecclesiastical provinces in the north and the Diocese of Kontagora have all called for security to be ramped up as a top priority.

CSN, the administrative arm of the Nigerian Catholic Bishops Conference, sent Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) a copy of a statement decrying the “relentless wave of killings and abductions that continue to plague our nation” calling it a “massacre allowed by silence”.

The Secretariat highlighted how recent attacks in the north and central regions have left hundreds dead and many more abducted.

Father Nathaniel Asuwaye was kidnapped on Saturday 7th February when gunmen attacked Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Kafanchan Diocese, where he served as parish priest.

Days earlier on 3rd February, more than 160 people were massacred in Woro, Kwara State, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. 

Most victims were Muslim, according to media reports, killed by jihadist militants for refusing to embrace the extremist’s version of Islam.

On 30th January more than 30 people were killed in an attack in the village of Kasuwan-Daji, in Niger State, with many others kidnapped.

The armed bandits also desecrated a nearby Catholic compound.

CSN added: “The recurring carnage has become a stain on the conscience of our nation. How can it be justified that, outside of war, over 160 innocent civilians were slaughtered in one coordinated attack in Woro, Kwara State?

“How do we explain 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? 

“This is not ‘instability’ but a massacre allowed by silence and a betrayal of every Nigerian’s right to live in peace.”

CSN demanded that the Nigerian government “intensify efforts in redeploying security forces… to the actual frontlines where citizens are under siege” and to “identify, expose, and prosecute the sponsors and enablers of terror, regardless of their political, religious or social status”.

They also urged authorities to “arrest and punish every perpetrator of violence” and also “provide urgent relief, psychosocial care, and compensation to victims and their families, while guarding and rebuilding destroyed communities to restore hope and dignity to the indigenes of the land”.

CSN also called for “every Nigerian to reject hatred and violence, and to stand firm in solidarity with one another”.

The ecclesiastical provinces of Kaduna, Abuja and Jos, which include more than 20 dioceses in northern Nigeria, also sent ACN a copy of a statement decrying the ongoing violence in the Middle Belt.

 “The persistent incidents of kidnapping for ransom, killings of innocent citizens, invasion and occupation of farming communities, and widespread displacement have created fear, trauma, and deep uncertainty among our people. 

“Farmlands meant to sustain life have increasingly become places of danger, forcing many farmers to abandon their means of livelihood and thereby worsening hunger and poverty.”

They added: “A society cannot flourish where human life is continually threatened. We therefore call on all tiers of government and security agencies to intensify efforts towards the protection of lives and property, for peace can only endure where justice is upheld.” 

Bishop Bulus Yohanna of Kontagora, whose diocese saw 320 people kidnapped from a Catholic school in Papiri in November 2025, also issued his own appeal to the government, calling for a military base in the region to promote security.

Pope Leo XIV issued a condemnation of the violence during his weekly Sunday Angelus prayer, in Rome.

He said: “It is with sorrow and concern that I learned of the recent attacks against various communities in Nigeria leading to a heavy loss of life. I express my prayerful closeness to all the victims of violence and terrorism. 

“I likewise hope that the competent authorities will continue to work with determination to ensure the safety and protection of the life of every citizen.”