By Ayomide Otitoju
The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has strongly condemned the ongoing wave of killings and abductions plaguing the country, describing the situation as a national tragedy and a profound assault on human life and dignity.
In a statement, the CSN decried the repeated cycles of mass violence that have devastated communities, leaving citizens fearful and weary of unfulfilled promises of protection. Between late January and February 2026, coordinated attacks have claimed the lives of over 160 civilians in Woro, Kwara State, while other areas including Agwara and Tungan Gero in Niger State, farming communities in Katsina and Kaduna, and parts of Borno have also been ravaged.
“This is not instability; this is massacre allowed by silence and a betrayal of every Nigerian’s right to live in peace,” the statement said.
The Secretariat stressed that Nigeria’s Constitution and its commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantee the right to life—a right that remains under threat as attacks continue largely unpunished.
CSN called on the Federal Government to urgently implement effective measures to protect citizens, including:
Strategically redeploying security forces to frontline areas where communities face immediate threats.
Identifying, exposing, and prosecuting sponsors and enablers of terror, regardless of status.
Arresting and punishing perpetrators of violence to end the cycle of impunity.
Providing relief, psychosocial support, compensation, and rebuilding destroyed communities to restore dignity to victims.
“Silence in the face of such horror can hardly escape being labelled as complicit,” the CSN said, warning that unaddressed attacks deepen mistrust between citizens and those entrusted with their protection.
The Secretariat urged all leaders—political, religious, and community—to rise above division and work together to restore peace. It also called on Nigerians to reject hatred and violence and stand in solidarity with one another.
“As a people of faith, we entrust our nation to God’s mercy and pray for healing, justice, and reconciliation. May the sacrifice of the innocent inspire a renewed commitment to protect life and build a Nigeria where peace and justice reign,” the statement concluded.
