Despite Relative Peace, “we are not yet out of the woods”: Catholic Priest on Insecurity in Maiduguri Diocese, Nigeria

Fr. Bature went on to highlight the mode of operation of Boko Haram, saying, “There is the planting of explosive devices on the road, and also sporadic raids that they carry out in some soft locations where they abduct women and people who have gone to farms.”

During the May 7 interview, the Former Deputy Director of the Catechetical Training Center of Maiduguri Diocese also reflected on the faith of the people of God amid nearly two decades of insecurity.

“At the beginning of the crisis, a lot of our people were killed; Christians and Catholics were killed. Our places of worship, over 200 churches, were burned at the beginning. Houses were raided, people were taken away in abduction, and people were displaced internally. So, the loss of livelihood, the loss of lives, got people so traumatized,” the JDPC Director for Maiduguri Diocese said.

He added, “People have been living in fear. People kept asking, where is God? God has been faithful; God has been there with his people. And somehow from 2015, 2016, there was this fresh regeneration, resurgence of a different kind of faith.”

The Nigerian Catholic Priest said Maiduguri Diocese is experiencing “a vibrant faith” in response to what the people have seen as “the hand of God that guided them even in those dark moments.”

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Fr. Bature, who also serves as Director for Psychosocial Support, Mental Health and Trauma Care for Maiduguri Diocese further highlighted some of the efforts that the Nigerian Catholic Diocese has undertaken to help those traumatized because of the insurgency.

“Over 60 lay persons were trained on trauma sensitivity and trauma care. Lay people were trained to help people identify traumatic experiences and to heal. Then the Diocese also requested and got a grant,” he told ACI Africa during the May 7 interview. 

He added, “We have now constructed and built a center that is flourishing here called trauma center where we offer programs of healing, counselling, therapy and psycho-spiritual support.”

“We have organized a program of trauma care in the IDP Camps. Thanks to other organizations that have supported us like Catholic Relief Services (CRS), they have trained our Priests and female and male religious in trauma management, trauma care, and stress management,” he further said. 

Fr. Bature who was ordained Priest for Maiduguri Diocese in 2008 went on to appeal for local and international partnerships in view of rebuilding livelihoods in the Nigerian Catholic Diocese.

“As a Diocese, we are in dire need of help from both local and international donors because of the insurgency,” he said, adding that “a lot of children are not going to school.”

“The church needs to support these children to go back to school; the church needs to upgrade her health care system to provide health care, because these are IDPs who cannot provide for themselves in terms of medical care,” the Catholic Priest said.

He explained that partnerships will help subsidize expenses towards health, education, and other basic humanitarian interventions, including feeding and support of the trauma care center.

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.