By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
Providing a model to counter the sectarian culture in the nation, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), acting as the moral conscience of a fractured nation, has issued a sharp condemnation of the unabated violence sweeping across the country.
In a press statement released on 26 August 2026 and signed by CBCN President, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, on behalf of the Catholic hierarchy, took the decisive step of publicly rallying behind attacked Muslim worshippers, demonstrating that their prophetic mandate extends to every Nigerian, regardless of creed.
The Bishops’ intervention follows a fresh wave of terror, consisting the violent abduction of over 60 Muslim worshippers from a mosque in Borgu, Niger State, and a horrific massacre in Ukum, Benue State, where 47 citizens were killed and 17 others critically wounded.
In a national landscape where insecurity is often filtered by politicians and their supporters through a narrow, sectarian lens, the Catholic Bishops chose unyielding solidarity with their Muslim compatriots, with all Nigerians, and with humanity. Their message was unequivocal: an attack on any place of worship, is an assault on common humanity.
While extending deep sympathies to the bereaved in Benue, the Bishops aligned themselves directly with the Muslim community in Niger State, praying for and demanding the immediate, safe release of all 60 abducted worshippers. Quoting Genesis 4:10, “The blood of your brother cries out to me from the ground”, they emphasised that no political, ethnic, or religious cause can ever justify such cruelty.
The CBCN insisted that whether violence strikes in a mosque, a church, a crowded market, or a private home, the trauma inflicted on innocent citizens requires a corresponding, unwavering response to correct these injustices, protect the vulnerable, and restore safety.
Fulfilling their traditional role as moral guardians, the Bishops acknowledged government efforts, but warned political leaders and security chiefs against falling into dangerous complacency. They urged authorities to deploy proactive, intelligence-driven operations to neutralise criminal hubs before they strike, and demanded the swift prosecution of all sponsors and perpetrators to break the cycle of impunity.
Addressing the bandits and kidnappers directly, the Bishops invoked Galatians 6:7, “God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows”, and warned the attackers to lay down their arms before divine judgement overtakes them.
By standing up so forcefully for Muslim worshippers alongside Christian victims, Nigeria’s Catholic Bishops have provided a powerful example of moral leadership. They have shown that true faith transcends dogma to defend the sanctity of human life, offering a desperate nation a rare beacon of unity and hope amidst the darkness.
