Nigerian bishops clash with president over state of the nation

The bishops described government measures as ‘palliative’ and called for action to address the root causes of economic hardship to ensure long-term sustainability.

Catholic bishops in Nigeria expressed deep concern at the nation’s deterioration, highlighting rising poverty, food inflation, kidnappings, and the poor condition of correctional facilities.

Speaking at their first plenary meeting for 2025 at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) in Abuja, the bishops acknowledged the government had made some reforms but lamented that “most Nigerians are struggling more than ever before”.

Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), revealed alarming statistics: food inflation has reached 39.84 per cent, leaving many families unable to afford three meals a day, and 129 million Nigerians now live in multidimensional poverty. The 2024 Global Report on Food Crisis ranks Nigeria as the second country globally in acute food insecurity, with 24 million people categorised as food insecure. Youth unemployment, estimated at 53 per cent, further compounds the crisis.

The archbishop described the situation as “a ticking time bomb”, citing crimes such as kidnappings, drug abuse, ritual killings, armed robbery, and cybercrime as symptoms of the economic hardship. He also pointed to mass unemployment caused by the collapse of businesses in the harsh economic climate. Urging the government to prioritise job creation, he warned that failure to address youth unemployment could worsen insecurity and violent crime.

The CBCN also criticised corrupt leaders, cautioning them against provoking the populace into violent uprisings. “They should learn from the history of revolutions,” Archbishop Ugorji remarked.

In response, President Bola Tinubu defended his administration’s efforts, stating that significant progress has been made despite challenges. According to the presidency, over 8,000 criminals, including bandits, armed robbers, Boko Haram terrorists and kidnappers, have been eliminated in the past two years, and over 10,000 abducted Nigerians – mainly women and children – have been rescued. The president’s statement also claimed that the economy had stabilised, with initiatives underway to boost youth employment.

The bishops described some government measures as “palliative” and called for action to address the root causes of economic hardship to ensure long-term sustainability.

“We cannot be tired of urging the government at all levels to take youth unemployment seriously. Until there is a massive, ongoing creation of jobs, the government may continue to lose the war against insecurity and violent crime,” Archbishop Ugorji warned.

Amid persistent violence across the country, the International Coalition against Christian Genocide in Nigeria (ICAC-GEN), a US-registered non-profit advocacy group, has called on the Trump administration to re-designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”.

The petition criticised the Biden administration for removing Nigeria from the global list of countries where Christians face severe persecution, accusing it of enabling violence against Christian communities. It commended former President Donald Trump for his commitment to protecting Christians, citing his administration’s pro-active stance.

In 2018, Trump confronted Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari over the killings of Christians, saying: “We’ve had very serious problems with Christians being murdered. We’re going to work on that very hard.” Earlier, in 2017, Trump hosted Joy Bukhara and Lydia Pogu, two of the 50 Christian students who escaped Boko Haram captivity after the Islamist group kidnapped over 200 girls from Chibok in Borno State.

Reports indicate that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009. According to the CSN, 145 priests have been kidnapped since 2015, with 11 killed and four still missing.

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