The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has raised alarm over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, warning that the nation is steadily transforming into a vast “national morgue.”
Delivering his Easter message on Sunday, Bishop Kukah decried the relentless violence and bloodshed ravaging communities across the country. He described the current state of affairs as one of “brutality and savagery” unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.
Using the metaphor of crucifixion, Kukah likened the suffering of Nigerians to being nailed to a cross, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and rescue the nation from “this cross of evil.”
“Mr. President, we all admit that you did not erect this cross or initiate our collective crucifixion. However, Nigerians have been left bleeding and dangling on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for far too long,” he said.
The Bishop condemned the surge in kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes, stressing that no household or community has been spared.
“A dark pall of death hangs across the nation—from north to south. Innocent citizens are kidnapped daily and held under the most inhuman conditions. Nigeria is inching dangerously close to a breaking point,” Kukah warned.
He also criticized the government’s handling of economic hardship, particularly its dependence on palliative measures, which he said degrade citizens’ dignity rather than address the root issues.
“While the removal of fuel subsidies may have been necessary, and while we acknowledge improved domestic revenue, the reality is grim—farming has become one of the most dangerous jobs in Nigeria for over a decade. Palliatives are not the answer. What Nigerians need is consistent access to food and lasting security,” he emphasized.
Calling for urgent policy reform, Kukah appealed to President Tinubu to make food security a constitutional right.
“Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger. Let food security be enshrined as a fundamental human right,” he urged.
Despite the bleak situation, Bishop Kukah offered a message of hope. He reminded citizens of their shared responsibility to confront the darkness overwhelming the nation.
“The structural deformities, injustices, and corruption plaguing our country must not extinguish our hope. We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill. With the light of Christ, we can rebuild a nation that reflects the will of our Creator,” he concluded.
