Extremist Ideologies Endangering Christians and Muslims Alike in Nigeria—Catholic, Anglican Bishops

…Demand Justice for Deborah Samuel Yakubu; Victims of Religious “Impunity” Nationwide

By Jeremy Fregene
In a powerful convergence of voices, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and the Anglican Communion on Tuesday issued parallel but deeply aligned warnings that extremist ideologies, state failures, and entrenched impunity are pushing Nigeria toward a dangerous breaking point—endangering Christians, Muslims, and citizens of all backgrounds.

In a strongly worded statement signed by Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji and Bishop Donatus Ogun, the CBCN declared that Nigeria’s “deplorable security situation” and the escalating religious tension have created a climate of fear, mass death, and displacement that now threatens the nation’s very stability. While highlighting the brutal targeting of predominantly Christian communities in the North and Middle Belt: some suffering repeated attacks, delayed security response, and near-total destruction, the bishops stressed that Muslims and citizens from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds are also falling victim to the same wave of violence.

“Such prolonged, unbearable conditions have given credence to allegations of ‘genocide’ in some quarters,” the CBCN warned, noting that attacks on displaced persons in their own camps and the occupation of devastated towns betray a deep collapse of state protection.

The Catholic bishops listed a series of recent tragedies: abduction of worshippers in Kwara, kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi, the seizure of female farmers in Borno, the mass abduction of 315 pupils and teachers in Niger State, and the massacre of more than 70 residents in Southern Taraba, as evidence of a nation under siege. Even the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba and multiple security personnel, they noted, underscores how far criminality has penetrated Nigeria’s core institutions.

They demanded immediate state action, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, which makes security and welfare the primary duty of the government. They urged swift rescue operations, full accountability for attackers, and investigation of allegations that security responses were delayed or withheld in several communities.

Crucially, the CBCN denounced systematic violations of the rights of Christian minorities in several northern states, including denial of land for churches, destruction of worship centres, overreach of Sharia courts, and increasing harassment by Hisbah and other morality enforcement groups “whose rigid and extremist interpretations fuel division and intimidation.”
With particular emphasis, the bishops renewed the national demand for justice for Deborah Samuel Yakubu, whose mob killing in Sokoto they described as a tragic indictment of religious extremism and state failure. “Impunity in such cases endangers all citizens,” they said.

In Ibadan, the Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, echoed these concerns, insisting that political leaders “must never play politics with the blood of innocent citizens.” He lamented that insecurity in Nigeria has recently taken a far more devastating turn, compounded by perceived government inaction and “brazen impunity” by violent groups.

Akinfenwa warned that the inability of citizens to secure protection or justice creates widespread loss of faith in civil authority, adding that “abdication of responsibility” cannot be tolerated in a democracy. He urged Nigerians to exert sustained pressure on political leaders to fulfil their oaths of office.

Aligning with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Anglican bishop called for mass nationwide prayers on December 7, invoking the biblical story of Esther and urging Christians to pray for divine intervention, victory over saboteurs within security institutions, comfort for bereaved families, strength for loyal security agents, and the safe release of all captives.

Both Catholic and Anglican leaders concluded with a shared message: Nigeria stands at a moral and existential crossroads. Its religious plurality is now being manipulated by extremists and undermined by negligence. Unless immediate and courageous action is taken, the bishops warned, the nation risks sliding deeper into chaos.

The CBCN called on all Nigerians: Christian, Muslim, and otherwise, to reject hatred, defend every human life, and become “agents of healing,” even as Akinfenwa prayed for a return to the days when Nigerians travelled freely “at day and at night without fear.”