By Our Reporter, With Agency Reports
THE CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has issued a detailed and strongly-worded critique of the Federal Government’s policies, urging a fundamental shift towards supporting local farmers, deploying advanced technology to combat insecurity, and enacting electoral reforms to restore public trust.
At the conclusion of their First Plenary Assembly for 2026 in Abuja on Wednesday, the bishops addressed a range of pressing national issues, presenting a unified call to action for the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Opposition to Food Import Strategy
A central point of the bishops’ message was their firm opposition to any government plan to rely on food importation to control rising prices.
The outgoing President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, warned that such a move, while offering a temporary price dip, would be devastating for Nigerian farmers.
“The CBCN frowns at the intervention that consists in the importation of food in order to reduce prices,” Archbishop Ugorji stated, arguing that the focus should instead be on empowering local agricultural producers.
“Rather, the government should encourage farmers by giving them subsidies. In most countries, governments give subsidies to farmers to help them buy fertilisers, equipment, and tools. If they produce at a low cost, they will sell at a low cost,” Archbishop Ugorji insisted, cautioning that neglecting local farmers, many of whom have taken loans to invest in their farms, was akin to “postponing the evil days” and would undermine long-term, sustainable food security.
Insecurity: A Crisis of Technology and Prosecution
The bishops painted a grim picture of the nation’s security situation, acknowledging the President’s emergency declaration but noting that the country remains gripped by “endless tears and grief.”
They specifically referenced the recent “gruesome massacre” of over 200 people in the villages of Woro and Nuku in Kwara State, as well as ongoing mass kidnappings across Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, and Kogi.
In a communiqué read by Most Rev. Peter Chikwe, the Bishop of Abakaliki, the CBCN linked the funding of terrorism directly to illegal mining.
They lamented that trillions of naira were being lost to activities like illegal mining and bunkering, which in turn finance insurgent groups.
To counter this, the bishops urged the government to deploy “Mining Marshals” and invest heavily in modern surveillance technology, including drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to monitor remote mining sites.
While demanding an end to perceived delays in prosecuting arrested terrorists, the bishops warned that the slow pace of justice, or the reintegration of “repentant” insurgents into society, creates a dangerous impression of government complicity. “Delay or pardon breeds complicity,” the communiqué warned.
Demand for Electoral Transparency
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the bishops issued a firm demand for mandatory electoral reforms to combat deep-seated voter apathy, which saw turnout plummet to just seven per cent in the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) elections.
The CBCN called on the National Assembly to pass legislation mandating the real-time transmission of results directly from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
They argued that without such transparency, the will of the people remains vulnerable to manipulation.
“To save democracy, there is a need to respect the will of the people,” they stated, warning that a lack of trust in institutions is undermining Nigeria’s democracy.
A Call for Harmony and New Leadership
Amidst the criticisms, the bishops struck a note of unity, noting the unique convergence of the 2026 Lenten season with the Muslim Ramadan. They described this as a “divine invitation” for Nigerians of all faiths to work in harmony for a better society.
Despite the litany of challenges, the conference urged citizens not to give in to despair, asserting that “a better Nigeria is possible” if leadership prioritises the common good over sectional interests.
The plenary, which drew bishops from across the country under the theme: “The Common Good and Leadership in Nigeria,” also saw a transition in leadership.
Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the Archbishop of Kaduna, was elected as the new President of the CBCN, succeeding Archbishop Ugorji.
Other elected officers include Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins (Vice President), Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo (Secretary), and Most Rev. Peter Chukwu (Assistant Secretary).
