CBCN Slams Poor Leadership, Insecurity and Economic Sabotage as Nigeria Drifts Deeper into Crisis

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has expressed profound dismay over the worsening socio-economic and political challenges confronting the nation and issued a strong call on the government to take urgent, concrete action before the situation spirals out of control.

The bishops specifically lamented the persistent wave of insecurity claiming innocent lives daily, widespread socio-economic sabotage through illegal mining and oil bunkering, and what they described as leadership failure as the major drivers of the country’s afflictions.

These concerns were articulated in a hard-hitting communiqué titled “Leadership for the Common Good,” issued at the end of the CBCN’s First Plenary Meeting held from February 19 to 26, 2026, at the CSN Resource Centre, Durumi, Abuja. The document was signed by outgoing President, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji of Owerri, and outgoing Secretary, Bishop Donatus Ogun of Uromi.

Part of the communiqué reads: “We continue to experience tragic events of senseless massacre, mass burials, endless tears, and grief. There are incidents of mass murders in different communities. Nigeria is richly blessed with abundant mineral resources. With good leadership, these resources would have been contributing significantly to our national economic growth and development… Yet, trillions of Naira are annually lost to bunkering and illegal mining owing to banditry, kidnapping and other organized crimes… We note that bad leadership in our nation has caused systemic damage showing up in a worsening economy, widespread and persistent insecurity, and extreme poverty, despite the blessing of rich human and natural resources.”

The bishops further observed that the wrong perception of politics as mere rigging of elections and stealing of mandates has turned leadership into an avenue for primitive accumulation rather than service to the people.

Leading voice of the Conference and Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, drove the message home in a no-holds-barred interview on Arise TV. Excerpts obtained by NaijaChoice News captured the depth of the bishops’ frustration and their prophetic call for genuine change.

On whether Nigeria is already mired in crisis or merely approaching one, Cardinal Onaiyekan stressed that the communiqué was not a political document but one rooted in love for Nigeria, honesty, and Christian faith. “We represent the people in what we say more than what is happening in the National Assembly, which is supposed to represent the people,” he declared, adding that the bishops speak truth to power without fear or favour.

He pointed to declining voter turnout as clear evidence of lost faith in the system. Citing INEC data, he noted that only about 23 per cent of registered voters participated in the last general election, describing it as a dangerous signal for democracy. “What kind of democracy is that?” he asked, warning that whoever wins under such conditions cannot claim the full mandate of the people.

Cardinal Onaiyekan dismissed claims that the current administration alone is responsible, insisting the rot has been gradual. However, he expressed disappointment that the declaration of a security emergency by President Bola Tinubu last November has not translated into visible improvement on the ground. “We were expecting that when the declaration was made, we were going to see a definite change of attitude. That the terrorists would be hunted down. But we didn’t see anything,” he lamented.

The outspoken cleric also raised alarm over the apparent complicity or weakness in tackling insecurity, noting that attacks on communities often clear the way for large-scale illegal mining operations that destroy farmlands and displace villagers. On food importation, he criticised what appears to be a policy of flooding the market with imported grains to crash prices, arguing it hurts local farmers who should instead be supported with subsidised inputs.

“If government flooded the market with imported food, that means our money is being spent to go and buy imported food from abroad… That money should have been given to our farmers,” he said.

Cardinal Onaiyekan challenged President Tinubu to act decisively on three immediate fronts: restore security so that ordinary Nigerians and even leaders can travel safely to their villages without heavy escort; wage a genuine war against corruption so that those who steal public funds no longer get away with it; and deliberately promote national unity to heal the dangerous polarisation along ethnic and religious lines.

The CBCN plenary also elected new leadership, with Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, Archbishop of Kaduna, emerging as the new President, and Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos as Vice President, signalling continuity in the Conference’s commitment to speaking for the voiceless.

As Nigeria grapples with record-low public trust in institutions, runaway poverty, and daily bloodshed, the bishops’ message is clear: a better Nigeria is possible, but only if leaders place the common good above personal and sectional interests.