Catholic Bishops Make New Demand From President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration has been charged by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to strengthen the peace and security of Nigeria.

The president of the group, Rev. Augustine Akubeze, made this demand while speaking at the opening ceremony of the second plenary of CBCN in Abeokuta on Sunday at the Sacred Heart College Hall.

Akubeze in his statement stated that its the duty of the government to protect the constitutional rights of its citizens and also ensure peace and effective security.

The CBCN president added that the adequate security of lives and properties would bring about peace and would eventually lead to sustainable development.

The Catholic Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese while reacting to the recent killings of some Catholic priests in the country, condemned the act.

“Only recently we heard of the burning of Rev. Fr. David Tanko of Jalingo Diocese to death and only recently we heard of the killing of a priest in Enugu Diocese”.

“We Catholic priests and faithful must preach daily the message of peace and justice. It is part of the message of Christ. It is part of the mission of the church.”

“As missionaries, we must be harbingers of justice and peace in our land.”

“We are just interested in living our lives peacefully without any fear of being kidnapped for ransom or being driven from our home land.”

“Every government that fails to protect the constitutional rights of her citizens has failed. The leaders of a country should ensure peace and security of his people”.

The chairperson of the conference, Prof. Catherine Eromosele, condemned the continued keeping hostage of Leah Sharibu.

Eromosele, while speaking on Leah’s continuous detention noted that she had spent no less than 1,980 days in the custody of Boko Haram and urged the Bishops to keep her matter and others abducted alive.

He charged the Catholic bishops to urge the Federal Government to do all that is possible to ensure their release without further delay.