Insecurity: Religious leaders raise the alarm, want end

By Olakunle Olafioye

The horror of bloodshed continued in Nigeria with chilling regularity when terrorists swooped on Tugan-Makeri, Konsoko and Pissa communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State leaving at least 32 dead. The attack which reportedly began in the early hours of Saturday, February 14, reports claimed, lasted about three hours. Reports also indicated that the killing spree began at Tunga-Makeri in the wee hours of the day before spreading to Konkoso and Pissa. Residents claimed the attackers, numbering about 200, also abducted an unidentified number of villagers, whose whereabouts remains unknown.

The killing in Niger State occurred barely two weeks after dozens of people were killed in similar fashion in Woro and Nuku villages both in Kwara State over a report that the villagers refused to surrender to a gang of extremists preachers who attempted to convert them to embrace a strange doctrine. The attackers were said to have stormed the communities at about 5.00pm on Tuesday, February 3, leaving scores of people dead in its wake. The report of the killing however came with conflicting casualty figures. While the state government put the number of people killed during the attack at 77, an official of Red Cross claimed that 162 people were killed with amnesty international claiming that the figure might be in excess of 170.

An additional 21 people were equally killed in a separate attack in Katsina State. The killing was described as a breach of the agreement struck between community leaders in Doma town with bandits who had been terrorising the town last September. Since the agreement was reached, the villagers were said to be returning to their farms gradually which they had abandoned due to banditry. However on February 3, armed men from the same gang reportedly invaded the town and shot at villagers as they moved from house to house, killing at least 21 people and leaving the six month truce in tatters.

Within the space of two months in 2026, three separate attacks carried out on four different communities have claimed over 220 lives in Nigeria. This grim statistics of horror and deaths in the country has continued to turn global attention on Nigeria. According to Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, at least 2,266 people were killed by bandits or insurgents in Nigeria during the first half of 2025 — surpassing the total number of such deaths in all of 2024. The figure indicates an increase in the spate of killings in less than a year.

Just last week, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sorrow and concern over the latest wave of deadly attacks, which have claimed dozens of lives in Africa’s most populous nation. The Pope expressed the hope that authorities in the country would continue to work with determination to ensure the safety and protection of the life of every citizen.

But beyond the hope of finding a lasting solution to the killing spree going on in the country there is a mounting fear over the spiritual implications of continuous bloodletting in Nigeria. The three dominant religious groups in the country are unequivocally unanimous in their beliefs that the continuous blood shedding in a country portends grave implications.

A Christian cleric, Pastor Timothy Adewale, described the shedding of blood as an abominable sin to God and warned that individuals and nations guilty of bloodshed risk the fiery wrath of God. “If there is anything that God detests, it is the shedding of innocent blood. In Proverbs 6:16-19, the Bible made us understand that to God, the act of shedding blood is an abomination. But it is unfortunate that in the world today, especially in Nigeria, human lives are gradually losing their value going by the spate of killings that are recorded in the country on a regular basis.

“In Genesis, God warned Noah and his children that, “whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” He has not placed the discretion of taking the life of any man in the hands of his fellow man. In Genesis 4, Cain killed his innocent brother, Abel, out of envy and jealousy. Due to his action, God placed a curse on him.

“The shedding of innocent lives attracts God’s unimaginable wrath. When King David schemed and masterminded the death of Uriah, one of his most loyal soldiers, God vowed to ensure that the sword does not depart from his house. Theologians believe that the situation in the middle-east today is consequential of what King David did back then,”

Speaking specifically on the consequences of bloodletting, Pastor Adewale said the perpetrators risk putting their lineages under a generational curse in the order of King David. “One of the consequences of shedding innocent blood, learning from how God dealt with David, is that the shedding of blood will never cease in the life of the perpetrator’s household,” he pointed out

“Another consequence is that the person would be unsuccessful in his endeavours. When Cain murdered his brother for no just cause, God placed a mighty curse on him, The Lord asked him:, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.

“Shedding innocent blood is a curse. As a country, individual or group, we must desist from acts capable of leading to the death of the innocent. As a country, considering the rate of bloodshed that is happening across the country, it is important that we Nigerians retrace our steps back to God,” he admonished.

Also reacting to the issue, an Islamic cleric, Ustaz Aliu Bashiru said those behind the killings going on in the country would one day face the consequences of their atrocities in life. He warned perpetrators of killings in Nigeria to be wary of the judgment day when they would account for their deeds on earth.

“Allah forbids shedding of human blood by fellow human beings. Those who take delight in killing their fellow humans and engage in this dastardly act will never go unpunished on the day of resurrection because the killing of fellow humans negates the principles and teachings of Islam.

“We should be more concerned about protecting the human dignity and the sanctity of life because Allah will question every individual on their relationship and dealings with their fellow human beings. Everyone will account for his deeds on earth,” he stated.

Also speaking, renowned Ifa priest, Chief Yemi Elebuibon said that the Yoruba traditional religion frowns at the shedding of human blood in whatever disguise. He noted that apart from during war time when people are most vulnerable to lose their lives, taking of people’s life, according to him, is considered a great violation of people’s right to live and a taboo which attracts severe consequences. “Shedding of blood of innocent people comes with a huge repercussion because their blood will always cry for vengeance. The Yoruba traditional religion really forbids killing of people in the way and manner it is being witnessed in Nigeria now. Except during war situations when people are vulnerable and get killed in large numbers, killing or shedding of people’s lives is an abomination. Even before the outbreak of war, Yoruba always make certain efforts to forestall its outbreak as a way of safeguarding the lives of their people.

“The bloodshed being witnessed in Nigeria is purely orchestrated by some wicked individuals for reasons best known to them. Banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in Nigeria today are being sponsored by some powerful individuals. The insecurity and its attendant loss of lives are largely masterminded by people from within. Unfortunately the repercussion is always widespread as it will always affect both the perpetrators and those who know nothing about it. That is why the Yoruba so much believe in preventive measures rather than react to the aftermath of war.” Chief Elebuibon stated.

While pointing out that Nigeria has lost more people to banditry, kidnapping for ransom, terrorism and major internal conflicts in recent years than to natural causes and sicknesses, they called on the government to up the ante in the search for a lasting solution to the endless bloodletting in the country.