The Supreme Council of Bishops,
also known as World Council of Bishops has reacted to the recent killings in
Plateau State and other states in the Middle Belt by Fulani herdsmen.
In a statement through the global press release in World Episcopal headquarters in
Houston, Texas, United States of America via Africa Episcopal headquarters in
Lagos Nigeria, the Bishops said enough was enough to the killings going on in
the country.
The statement was endorsed by the
Supreme Council of Bishops; the World Council of Bishops; The Global Advisory
Board; the Global Council of Apostolic Nuncio (s); and the Prelate and its
Deputies across all 7 continents of the world; the Central Executive Council
Globally; all Regional and National Prelates Worldwide, and the General
Assembly Worldwide.
The Bishops in the strongest
possible terms condemned the incessant killings and manslaughter of Nigerians
by the Fulani herdsmen who allegedly call themselves Miyetti Allah Group and
the like.
They also sent their deepest
condolences to all of the affected communities, and demanded that all the
perpetrators of the heinous crime be brought to justice, and ensure any further
future violence is sternly prevented.
The cleric noted that, “Two years
have gone down the drain. We as a Global Council watched, observed, prayed and
fasted earnestly, how innocent lives of the good citizens of Nigeria are been
attacked, property destroyed, some confiscated, and their lives been wasted in
broad daylight manslaughter, as Catholic Priests, Parishioners, Worshipers in
Churches, Villages, and Cities around the Middle Belt region, North Central
States, and part of the North Eastern States, and across the Nigerian State as
a whole were not left out, times without number.
“We expected the Government of
Nigeria under the able leadership of President Muhammad Buhari GCFR, as it has
promised to defend, secure, and protect the lives of Nigerians as enshrined in
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, Chapter II, Section
14b), to take a decisive – workable solution to permanently curtail the
excesses of the Fulanis and their herdsmen from taking laws into their hands,
but these killings keeps aggravating.
“We as a Global Council of
Bishops Worldwide, lend our Global Bishopric Voice and Global Bishopric Support
on All the States in Adamawa, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna, Zamfara
States, in the Middle Belt Region, the North Central, North Eastern States,
Eastern and Southern regions of Nigeria whose People have been slaughtered and
properties destroyed, do hereby unequivocally make Our Global Bishopric Stands
known today that, Enough Is Enough – Henceforth This Killings Must Stop!”
Continuing, the Bishops pointed
out that a father who fails to perform his primary duty of deciplining his
straying children will always regret it at last.
They added, “A father who does
not govern his home properly, where he sees and hears his children or wards
under his care, are misbehaving outside the home, and several reports are made
of their rascally misbehavior, and as a father, shields them, and at times
feigns knowledge and never corrects them, by ensuring proper disciplinary
actions are meted out on the children, so as to preserve their lives and future,
will one day regret the consequences of his lacklustre attitude, not only to
the detriment of the family name, but also to the detriment of his children’s
future , thereby endangering their future as his progenity, if proper care is
not taking or given to their proper training and upbringing as his wards, has
indeed failed woefully as a Father.
“Mr. President, we as a Council
of Bishops Globally point it out to you on this day openly, without fear or
favour that, you as a leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has failed ,
not to deliver on your campaign and constitutional promises, as the number one
Chief Security Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to uphold, defend the
sovereignty, the territorial integrity, and security of the Nigerian Nation and
its Citizens. But what do we see and hear, you only visit each of these
troubled States that have been under the attacks of the Fulani herdsmen,
without taking a permanent decisive solution to the spate of killings across
the Nigerian State in the future, not minding whose ox is gored. The Ball is
still in your court either to do as it pleases You, or to act rightly as it is
expected of you as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, as All Nigerians are closely watching, and judging your actions and
misactions in the secrets of their hearts against 2019 elections.
“You are duty bound to ensure the
safety of every life and properties of the citizens of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, and that one life in this nation Nigeria counts and matters a whole
lot. If you decide to go as you will, posterity shall never forgive or forget
you. Wisdom demands you take queue and learn from the mistakes of Nigeria’s
past leaders and do the right thing that Nigeria as a Nation expects of you.
“Also, a group of persons or
collective individuals who, take laws into their hands through maiming,
shedding of innocent blood, and destroying the lives and properties of citizens
of a Nation like Nigeria, should be counted as a terrorist group.
“To this effect, We employ, the
United Nations(UN), Africa Union (AU), European Union (EU), the Economic
Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the Nigerian State to view and list the
Miyetti Allah group via the Fulani Special Force and the Fulani Nationality Movement
(FUNAM) as a terrorist organization henceforth, as they have remained
unrepentant, and no decisive legal and official governmental action have been
taken as a Nation to put to stop their dastardly and heinous acts against
humanity and Nigerians as a whole. Justice and Protection of ordinary Nigerians
are the inalienable rights of All Nigerians irrespective of religion, social,
political class and status, educational attainments, etcetera.
“More also, it is pertinent to
not that, with the spate of killings of unarmed innocent Nigerians across the
length and breadth of the Nigerian State that, a State Police be enacted and
created, and not to be always dependent on Federal might, with a view to,
combat , reduce, and defend each of the troubled and 36 States of Nigeria’s
Federation that are under constant attacks by the herdsmen militia, and the
unrepentant insurgents all over the Nigerian State covering each of the 6
geopolitical zones of Nigeria nationwide.
“ As the Inspector General of
Police, nor the Chief of Defence Staff and Army Staffs, cannot achieve the
security of lives and properties, and territorial integrity of the Nigerian
State, and Nigerians alone, as can be seen how many Soldiers, Police, and
security operatives that were previously deployed lost their lives
unceremoniously, as they are suffering in some sort, especially those of them
in the hard hit insurgent troubled States, they also need our collective,
communal support and assistance as well.”
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