Nigerian Government’s “recent zealous change in approach” to Insecurity Laudable: Catholic Bishops in Ibadan Province

Ibadan, 21 January, 2026 / 5:45 PM

Catholic Bishops in Nigeria’s Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province (IEP) have commended the government of the West African nation for adopting a new approach to addressing the challenge of security, aimed at curbing criminality across the country.

In a communiqué shared with ACI Africa on Tuesday, January 20, following their two-day meeting, Local Ordinaries of Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese and the Dioceses of Ekiti, Ilorin, Ondo, Osogbo, and Oyo note that when there is “the political will to act,” insecurity can be effectively addressed.

“We support the recent zealous change in approach of the Federal Government to the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, aiming to stem the continuous loss of lives to mindless aggressors and criminals all over the country,” the Catholic Bishops in IEP say in the Communique following the January 19-20 meeting held at the Jubilee Conference Centre of the Nigerian Metropolitan See.

They add, “A few developments in recent times have shown that when governments demonstrate the political will to act, even insecurity can be curtailed.”

Some of the recent  “zealous changes” that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has taken to address insecurity, they say, include the formal decision to classify all armed groups operating within the country such as militias, bandits, insurgents, and other violent actors, as terrorist organizations.

This year’s federal budget is also reportedly structured to consolidate the gains of past reforms. It includes significant allocations to defense and internal security, underlining the government’s emphasis on security as a foundational priority for national stability.

Media reports have disclosed ongoing legislative and political pushes, including from regional assemblies, for state police and accelerated federal action on security reforms, indicating a wider shift toward decentralized and community-oriented security responses.

Official press releases and government documents have also affirmed that the national security architecture is being recalibrated toward community engagement, increased capacity building, intelligence-driven operations, and deeper international cooperation.

In their communiqué following their meeting realized under the theme “Sustaining Hope and Strengthening Our Good Efforts,” the Catholic Bishops in IEP “urge the government at all levels to sustain the current zeal to tackle insecurity through courageous policies and action, collaboration with external and internal organizations and with countries that can help our cause, adequate funding and equipping of the security agencies and continuous education of the public towards enhanced security.”

“Federal, State, and Local Authorities must agree in criminalizing and prosecuting banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and all sorts of criminality if the current effort is to succeed,” they say.

The Catholic Church leaders call on all Nigerians to unite in the effort to reestablish security, peace, and the safety of all, regardless of religion, tribe, or status.

“All life is sacred, and nobody has the right to take someone else’s life or seize or destroy somebody else’s property without serious consequences,” they say, and add, “In this regard, the equal application of the law to all without fear or favor is a necessary strategy.”

In the communique, the Bishops also acknowledge the recent signing of the agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which they say comes “after sixteen years of failures and disappointments, deserves an unmitigated commendation.”

“This noble gesture, including the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, should be extended to private and mission universities, given that they all train future leaders of the Nigerian nation,” they say.

The Catholic Bishops from IEP recommend that the agreement be closely monitored and implemented, describing it as a “commendable way forward expected to put an end to strikes and stress in the Nigerian Universities.”

“We are also pleased by the presidential grants and loans to Nigerian youths for university education, for entrepreneurial and skills development, investments, the new National Policy on Almajiri Education, and other programmes aimed at empowering and securing the future of Nigerian youths,” they say.

They express their conviction that education is the bedrock of the development of any nation, further calling on the State and Local Governments nationwide to “apply themselves manifestly to the improvement of educational facilities and to staff welfare in their jurisdictions.”

The Catholic Bishops emphasize that “All such programmes must be periodically evaluated to eliminate bottlenecks and entropy in the system to attain the desired result.”

As the new year unfolds, the Bishops urge “all Nigerians not to tire praying for the country’s leaders for a better nation, saying, “As a prayerful nation, prayer must be accompanied by a commitment to good works wherever we find ourselves.”

Irrespective of their status as civil servants, workers in the public or private sectors, the Catholic Bishops say, “we all have an obligation to work assiduously for justice, equity and the rule of law to make Nigeria great and better again.”

“We all must resist negativity and cynicism because we have no other country but this. We must pray for a change of heart and work harder as we embrace a better future with hope,” the Catholic Bishops in IEP say.