Bishops demand security investment to promote ‘common good’ in Nigeria

‘Every Nigerian has a role in building conditions that allow life to flourish because responsible citizenship is a virtue and participation in political life is a moral obligation.’

Nigerian bishops demanded more government investment in modern surveillance technology, stronger intelligence gathering and swift prosecution of terrorists and their sponsors, to respond to insecurity ravaging the country.

In a communiqué on 27 February at the end of its first plenary in 2026, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) said that despite efforts by the authorities, massacres, mass kidnappings and displacement persists.

“We mourn the over 200 brothers and sisters, both Christians and Muslims, recently massacred in Woro and Nuku villages of Kwara State, and the ongoing mass kidnappings in Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kogi and many other parts of the country. There is need for more proactive measures in protecting Nigerians. Delay or pardon breeds complicity,” the CBCN said.

During the plenary, a Catholic parish in south-east Nigeria suffered an arson attack on 26 February which damaged a tabernacle and various sacred objects, while vehicles owned by the parish were also set on fire.

The CBCN communiqué continued: “The central theme of our deliberations has been on the Common Good, which is the foundation of a just society. The Church teaches that the ‘good of the individual is bound up with the good of the community’. For us, the Common Good is the sum of social conditions that allow every human person to flourish. It requires respect for human dignity, rights and the welfare of all.

“Every Nigerian has a role in building conditions that allow life to flourish because responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. Public authority must ensure access to essentials of life, like food, health, education, work, peace and security, without repression or tyranny. Effective leadership means serving all, not a few.”

The bishops said the state of the economy was “alarming” and demanded measures to ensure fair distribution of wealth.

“While Nigeria is rich in resources, its citizens keep struggling to survive,” the communiqué said. “The wealth generated from our natural resources is not translating to prosperity for the majority, leading to widespread poverty and hardship. For instance, billions of US dollars are lost to illegal mining and bunkering, which in turn fund terrorism.”

They welcomed the government’s establishment of “Mining Marshals” to monitor the industry but said the system needed modern technology to be effective.

“We therefore urge government to deploy advanced monitoring tools [to] secure mining sites. They should support local farmers rather than embarking on mass importation of food, as a way of lowering the prices of food items, which is hurtful to local farmers. Rather than this, we urge government to give subsidies and all other forms of support to local farmers and provide them with security so they can return to the farm without fear of attack.”

The bishops also rebuked the poor leadership and electoral malpractice “which are eroding trust in our democracy”.

“We call for reforms to ensure mandatory real time transmission of election results from the polling units to the collation centres via BVAS and IReV, in order to restore voter confidence and legitimacy,” they said. “Without this transparency, the will of the people is in danger of being subverted by ‘human interference’.”

They continued: “At the same time, we encourage all citizens of voting age to get their voters card ready, go out to vote on the day of elections, and to also defend their votes. Nigerian voters must not give up.”

The plenary voted for new leadership for the CBCN, with Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna elected president, Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos as vice president, Bishop Peter Odetoyinbo of Abeokuta as secretary and Bishop Peter Chukwu of Abakaliki as assistant secretary.

Kukah: ‘theatre of lies’ sustains Nigerian security crisis

Nigeria’s dangerous Christmas present

Stay updated — add us as a preferred news source on Google: