Insecurity: FG Should Concentrate on Safety of Nigerians Instead of 2027 — Cardinal Onaiyekan

Archbishop Emeritus of the Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has said that the Nigerian government is fully aware of those responsible for the killings sweeping the country.

Speaking on Saturday in an interview, the Archbishop Emeritus emphasised that the scale of the violence cannot be ignored, saying, “Nobody can counteract the fact that Nigerians are being killed.”

He urged the government to abandon its defensive stance, which often involves denying or downplaying reports of mass killings, noting that such denial ignores the suffering of millions living in constant fear.

He said, “The Federal Government must shift away from its defensive approach of denying or downplaying allegations of mass killings of Nigerians.

“This persistent denial fails to reflect the sentiments of millions who live in perpetual fear and those who have suffered tremendously in the hands of insurgents.”

Cardinal Onaiyekan further stated, “The government is aware of who is responsible for these killings. Instead of fixating on 2027, it should concentrate on ensuring the safety and survival of its citizens.”

His reaction comes amid a rising wave of school and church kidnappings across Nigeria. This includes the abduction of 315 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, and 25 students from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, an attack that claimed the life of Vice-Principal Hassan Makuku, who tried to resist the gunmen.

The incidents also follow the abduction of at least 30 worshippers during a deadly attack on the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, which left three people dead.