Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has expressed anger over the endless loss of innocent lives in Benue State.
NATIONAL POST reports that gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, have continued to wreak havoc on Benue communities on a daily basis.
It has also been reported that at least 13 parishes have been shut down by the Catholic Church owing to the worsening attacks.
In a statement issued by the President of the Conference, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, the bishops expressed concern over the relentless attacks on defenceless communities and the apparent inability of government at both the state and the federal levels to halt the violence.
They condemned the utterly barbaric massacre of innocent citizens in Benue State.
The conference noted that the cold-blooded attacks are an affront to God, a stain on the shared humanity, and a terrifying reminder of the utter breakdown of security in the land.
The bishops stated that no amount of infrastructural development or regular salary payments could compensate for the failure to protect lives.
According to the bishops, "Any government that fails to make the safety and protection of its citizens and their property its foremost priority abdicates its fundamental responsibility and moral legitimacy."
They urged both the state and federal governments to go beyond mere rhetoric and take immediate, firm, and sustained action to end the bloodshed.