“It’s a pity”: Nigeria Catholic Bishops’ Conference President on Insecurity, Says “government appears to be helpless”

He went on to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government “to rise to its primary obligation of providing security for its citizens.”

Archbishop Ugorji extended his appeal to the kidnappers, asking them to “have a human heart” and to reconsider their abduction methods and how they treat their abductees.

“You kidnap people, you keep them hungry, you torture them just in order to get money,” the CBCN President lamented. 

Governing a country devoid of security drives away investors and worsens the phenomenon of mass emigration, often referred to as the “Japa syndrome”, he lamented, and urged the Nigerian government to address underlying issues that drive individuals into criminality, including unemployment and drug abuse.

“A good number of people take to kidnapping because of hard drugs. I think more needs to be done to curb the influence of narcotics within the country,” Archbishop Ugorji told ACI Africa during the said.

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He expressed his awareness of the fact that the Nigerian government is “doing quite a lot to control the peddling of hard drugs.”

Still, he insisted, the government “has to do more because if it is possible to seal the link, people will be safer in their relationship with other people.”

The 72-year-old Nigerian Archbishop, who has been at the helm of Owerri Archdiocese since June 2022 enjoined Catholics to continue to pray that the Kidnapped Minor Seminary Rector is “released safe and sound” and that the family and community is comforted in this challenging situation. 

Meanwhile, the Director of Communications for Auchi Diocese, Fr. Peter Egielewa, has urged the public to disregard rumours on social media claiming that Fr. Oyode had been released.

“We request all people of goodwill to disregard the purported release of Fr. Thomas Oyode in several audio messages on social media. Unfortunately, Fr. Oyode is still in the hands of his abductors,” Fr. Egielewa told ACI Africa on October 30. 

He appealed for spiritual solidarity, saying, “The Diocese of Auchi is praying and urging the abductors to set Fr. Oyode free and unharmed. We appeal for continuous prayers for his quick release from his abductors.”

Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Journalist with great enthusiasm and interest for Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria. He has vast experience in Print,  Electronic and Multi-Media Production.