Archbishop Emeritus of the Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onayekan, has delivered a forceful warning to the Nigerian government over the country’s deteriorating security situation, declaring that the authorities already know the perpetrators of the violence and must act urgently to protect citizens.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Saturday, Cardinal Onayekan said the level of killings and abductions across the country shows a failure of governance and an absence of decisive leadership.
He insisted that government officials know the masterminds behind the violence. “Nobody can counteract that Nigerians are being killed. They are being killed. And we believe the government knows who are those killing Nigerians,” he stated.
According to him, “what is happening right now should not be happening,” stressing that ordinary Nigerians “should not be traveling on the roads with our hearts in our minds,” and “children should not be picked from schools.”
He warned that Nigerians have lost patience and that lives must be safeguarded immediately. “There’s no more room for excuses,” he said, insisting government must “name, shame and deal with all the supporters, the financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.”
The Archbishop criticised the government’s continued insistence that progress is being made, arguing that officials must first acknowledge the reality of widespread insecurity.
“The truth should be out that these are not correct,” he said. “What has happened is not good. And let the government agree. Instead of all the time defending itself, denial, there is nothing wrong in Nigeria. There’s nothing here that is not happening anywhere else. That’s not helping us at all.”
Onayekan said the federal authorities cannot distance themselves from responsibility, reminding them that “they ask for our votes. We voted for them. They said we voted for them. Do the work. Do the work. Keep us safe.”
Responding to questions about international concern, including statements from the United States, the Cardinal said external partnership is normal but only becomes necessary when a government admits it can no longer manage its internal crises.
“Obviously, there’s nothing wrong for Nigeria to seek partnership with other countries to deal with a problem that is beyond their control,” he noted. “But before that can happen, the government will have to agree that it is beyond their control.”
He however questioned whether Nigeria’s security agencies are truly incapable of resolving the crisis. “I am not so sure that our Nigerian government, with our armed forces, are incapable of dealing with this matter. I am not so sure,” he said.
Onayekan lamented persistent attacks across states, including Plateau, Kaduna, Niger, and even the Federal Capital Territory, warning that Nigerians “are living in fear and anxieties.” He said the government must confront the issue without political calculation, cautioning leaders to stop focusing on future elections. “They will stop boasting. And they will stop politicking.
And they should stop thinking of 2027. Let them talk about 2025 and 2026, so that we can survive until then.”
On claims of genocide raised internationally, the Archbishop said those who feel targeted have a right to speak out. “If anybody says that he is being killed, and he has evidence of his people being killed, I don’t think it is helpful to say he should not talk or that he should not complain,” he said. “There are people who feel they are under persecution. Let them speak and say what is happening.”
The Cardinal also rejected the idea that Nigeria is an Islamic state, saying, “Nigeria is not one of them. Let no one think that it is, and let no one behave as if it is.” He urged both Christian and Muslim leaders to work together to rein in extremist groups, noting that insurgents who claim to act in Islam’s name “can best” be addressed by the Muslim community.
Calling for an end to impunity, he criticised situations where “people are killing and getting away with it,” and communities are displaced while government builds IDP camps instead of reclaiming occupied villages. “That should stop. That should stop,” he said.
Onayekan further condemned the tendency to wait for international pressure before acting. “For me, it is a shame on Nigeria that we have to wait for Trump to make noise before we begin to look at the reality that we see all around us,” he said. “We don’t need Trump to remind us that things are going wrong.”
The Archbishop concluded by calling for unity across religious and political lines. “Christians and Muslims are being killed and that should not happen,” he said. “We should put our heads together as one nation and tackle those who are making our country unlivable.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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