Fight corruption, insecurity, skewed appointments, not Niger Republic, CBCN tells FG

Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, on Sunday, asked the federal government to relentlessly fight corruption, insecurity, lopsided appointments, and other ills bedevilling Nigeria, instead of going to battle with the Niger Republic.

President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, who made the appeal in a homily he delivered during a Eucharistic celebration at Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, said: “The drums of war have continued to sound, despite stout opposition against such a costly exercise.

“The recent decision of the ECOWAS Heads of State remains a strong pointer that they are determined to prosecute the war.
“Our leaders must find a way of remaining in constant communication with the rest of us. The idea of behaving as if the citizens and their wishes do not matter, cannot be the best option for our leaders. They should respect our wishes.

“We are in very turbulent times in Nigeria. We are surrounded by people who are barely managing to have one meal a day. We are, like people in a rickety boat that is being tossed about by a violent wave, in the middle of an ocean.

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“There are several challenges facing Nigerians today. They include large-scale corruption, which has been crippling our nation.

‘’We are also grappling with kidnapping, armed robbery, Boko Haram, unknown gunmen, and skewed appointments that are detrimental to some sections of the country. The recent ministerial appointments are a typical example.

“They are ferocious battles, in their own rights and we will not like to create an additional war with our brothers in Niger Republic. We can’t afford to use taxpayers’ money to fight a war that does not concern us.

“If we should fight a battle, it should be against the galloping vices. We should be ambassadors of peace and reconciliation.

“There is just no sense in abandoning our problems to take up the problems of other nations.”