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The Catholic Bishops of the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have expressed concern over the condition of the Oriire abductees, five weeks after they were kidnapped.
The bishops, at a news conference in Ibadan on Monday, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the victims.
The province comprises the Ibadan Archdiocese and the dioceses of Ondo, Ilorin, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo. It is headed by the Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin as president and the Most Rev. Anselm Lawani as secretary.
The bishops said the abductees, who were taken on May 15, had endured enough hardship in captivity, living without shelter and exposed to harsh conditions.
They expressed concern that the victims remained at the mercy of “vicious and merciless criminals” in the forest.
The bishops described the murder of a teacher and a motorcycle rider, as well as the beheading of another teacher, as “a barbaric assassination of culture and an erasure of decency.”
“This should have absolutely no place in Nigeria and, particularly, among Yoruba people.
“The incident violated the sanity and innocence of the Nigerian South-West, which is well known for its passion for education,” they said.
The bishops also noted that the abduction and killings had turned the once peaceful Esiele community into a scene of prolonged sorrow and anguish.
While acknowledging the reassurances, speeches and visits by federal and state government officials, they maintained that the country’s security architecture still required significant improvement.
“Nigerians seem no further than where they were 10 years ago with insecurity of lives and property,” they lamented.
They highlighted the scale of insecurity across the country, noting that violent kidnappings in farmlands and villages had become commonplace.
The bishops also expressed concern over attacks on security personnel, including policemen and soldiers.
They said they could no longer remain silent over the excruciating wait, painful lamentation and suffering inflicted on the families of the 46 abductees.
“We condemn this gross assault on the sanctity of human life and social order, and we are outraged by the seeming inability of our governments to prevent its frequent occurrence,” they said.
Drawing parallels with the Chibok abductions, the bishops urged the Oyo State Government to ensure that the Esiele abductees did not suffer a similar fate.
“Governor Makinde should act now lest the present debacle dim the glory of his past exploits.
“We also appeal to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to fast-track the approval of state police and put in place policies and legislation to prevent its abuse,” they said.
The bishops called for decisive policing of forests, improved intelligence gathering, better support for grassroots communities and greater deployment of technology to strengthen security.
They also condemned the reintegration of so-called repentant bandits into society and security structures while victims and their families continue to suffer neglect.
According to them, such actions undermine justice and reflect the corruption that has weakened the social contract.
The bishops insisted that bandits and kidnappers must face the full weight of the law swiftly and decisively to deter others from taking up arms against the state.
They urged Nigerians to remain law-abiding, vigilant and prayerful for the victims and security personnel.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. No innocent person should be subjected to violence, oppression or marginalisation while governments at any level appear helpless and overwhelmed,” they said.
These versions are tightened for publication, with improved headlines, punctuation, consistency and readability.
