• Nigeria’s growing insecurity intensifies nationwide fear and undermines citizens’ confidence daily.

• Catholic bishops urgently call for stronger national security reforms across Nigeria.

• Communities continue experiencing worsening violence despite ongoing government security interventions.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has issued one of its strongest warnings yet on the country’s deteriorating security, saying the scale of killings, kidnappings and community invasions has crossed every acceptable threshold.

The statement, signed by Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji and Bishop Donatus Aihmiosion Ogun and circulated to journalists in Owerri, described a nation “deeply wounded” by widespread violence and an increasingly overwhelmed security architecture.

Violence deepens fear across vulnerable communities

The clerics said the persistent attacks that have destroyed homes, displaced families and claimed countless lives have left many communities living in fear.

They condemned what they called the “unrestrained brutality” of criminal groups who continue to unleash terror on defenseless citizens, warning that the consequences are tearing at the country’s social fabric.

According to the bishops, several predominantly Christian communities in the northern and Middle Belt regions have suffered repeated and devastating assaults, resulting in heavy casualties.

They cited disturbing reports of delayed or even withheld security responses in some cases, a trend they said has fuelled suspicions of collusion or a lack of will to act. The near-total destruction of some villages and the continued attacks on displaced persons, including inside camps, have deepened a sense of abandonment and despair among affected populations.

Attacks increase as criminal networks widen their reach

These conditions, they noted, have given rise to allegations of “genocide” in some quarters. Still, mindful of the value of every human life, the bishops stressed that Muslims and citizens from diverse ethnic backgrounds have also fallen victim to the same wave of violence, underscoring that the crisis threatens Nigeria’s shared humanity.

They recounted several recent incidents: the abduction of worshippers in Kwara State; the kidnapping of 25 young girls in Kebbi; the seizure of 13 female farmers in Borno; the abduction of 265 students and teachers in Papiri, Niger State; and the killing of more than 70 people in southern Taraba—an attack that displaced thousands.

Added to these was the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba and several security personnel, events they said illustrate how deeply criminality has penetrated national life.

Bishops urge decisive action and renewed national commitment

“When criminals can attack schools, farms and entire communities with impunity, the foundations of family life, education and social stability come under direct threat,” the bishops warned.

They urged all tiers of government to urgently fulfill their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property. They called for thorough investigations into delayed security responses, swift action to secure the release of abducted persons, and long-term strategies that allow displaced citizens to return home. Nigeria, they said, has reached a moment demanding decisive action, meaningful dialogue and sustained peace-building efforts to restore public confidence.