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Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Catholic Bishops, under the umbrella of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), have accused the Federal Government of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
The clerics said that a government that totally ignores the cries of the people that trusted and elected it into power was set for failure.
The Bishops alongside other Catholic faithful, all dressed in black, registered their discontent with the poor security situation in Nigeria and other misgovernance in a peaceful protest in Abuja, yesterday.
Armed with placards bearing several inscriptions, the protesters demanded urgent actions to be taken to address the issue of insecurity which they allage is targeted at Christians, particularly in northern Nigeria.
The bishops and faithful defied the downpour in Abuja to hold the prayer procession as part of activities to mark the first CBCN conference for the year.
They marched from the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja to Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Catholic Church, Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
The prayer procession was led by CBCN President, Bishop Augustine Akubueze, and had other bishops from across Nigeria, including the immediate Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan.
The CBCN president who addressed journalists at the end to the procession explained the reason for the protest.
“We embarked on a peaceful protest on behalf of over 50 million Catholics and over 100 million Christians in Nigeria against the brutal killings of innocent Nigerians by Boko Haram and terrorist herdsmen who are invading peoples farm lands forcefully.
“We register our protest against the kidnapping for ransom in every part of Nigeria, and to also mourn the women, babies, children and men who have been killed by the terrorists in recent times. Government should know that we are tired of hearing from them that Boko Haram has been technically defeated even when they still attack with impunity.
“Even local and international security experts have concluded that terrorists use weapons that are more sophisticated than the ones being used by Nigerian armed forces. Protest is part of our religious obligations to speak prophetically against whatever is against God’s commandment.
“The killing of God’s children is evil, so is failure to protect innocent people from the relentless attacks. There have been too many mass burials, too many kidnappings of school children, of travellers, invasion of peoples’ homes, invasion of sacred places like church, mosque, seminary in recent times.
“These attacks and the loss of lives are now taken as normal. Recently, the Presidency said they have discovered that they can no longer go to some places where they campaigned before elections because they are being booed by those who once supported them because these Nigerians feel let down,” Akubueze said.
He, however, assured President Muhammadu Buhari that the church will continue to pray and support his government to deal with insecurity, if he will endeavour to unite Nigerians and ensure every Nigerian enjoys equal opportunities irrespective of ethnic or religious background.
