Nigeria Is Under Siege, Families Are Hungry – Catholic Church

The Catholic Church has decried hardship in the country and heightened insecurity plaguing every part of the country.

Naija News reports that the Catholic Church said this through the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on Sunday, in Abuja.

The Catholic Bishops stated this during the 2025 First Plenary Meeting of the CBCN, held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)

The event was attended by top religious leaders, including Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri and President of CBCN; Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; and Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja.

The Church said many families can not afford three meals a day. It decried the increasing food inflation and mass drive of Nigerians into poverty.

Archbishop Ugorji noted that palliatives cannot address the economic hardships Nigerians have been put through.

“While we recognise the government’s efforts in implementing certain reforms, the reality remains that most Nigerians are struggling more than ever before.

“Food inflation has hit 39.84 percent, making it nearly impossible for families to afford three meals a day. The statistics are alarming, 129 million Nigerians are now living in multidimensional poverty. Palliatives and temporary relief programmes are not enough. We need sustainable solutions that address the root causes of economic hardship,” he said.

In insecurity, the Catholic Church said it was worried that Nigerians were being abducted every day, tortured and killed. With many of its priests kidnapped and killed, the church called on the government to step up and protect the citizens.

“Our nation is under siege. We hear daily reports of innocent Nigerians being abducted, tortured, or killed by criminals who operate with seeming impunity. Even men of God are not spared. How much longer will we continue to live in fear? We call on the government to step up its security efforts, invest in intelligence gathering, and provide the necessary tools for our security forces to protect lives and property,” he stated.

The Bishops further expressed worry at the situation of productive youths of the country who have lost hope and have been seeking desperate means in search of a better future.

Catholic Church called on the government to prioritize job creation and vocational training programmes to engage youths.

“It is heartbreaking to see our young people lose hope in their country. Many have turned to crime out of desperation, while others risk their lives on dangerous migration routes in search of a better future. This is unacceptable. The government must prioritize job creation and vocational training programmes to engage our youths positively and prevent them from falling into the hands of criminal elements,” he added.