By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—Even as the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, now doubt the ability of the Federal Government to resolve the current insecurity in the country, occasioned by the activities of the Boko Haram Islamist sect, it has asked the Federal Government to find lasting solution to the senseless killings of Christians and other innocent Nigerians in some parts of the North, warning that their patience was being overstretched.

President of the Conference, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, spoke, weekend, at its Second Plenary Session holding at the Mater Dei Catholic Cathedral, Umuahia, Abia State.

Kaigama, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Jos Diocese, spoke on a day President Goodluck Jonathan vowed to “pay any price” to ensure that things were working well in Nigeria.

Kaigama said: “The patience of Christians, especially in the North, has been tried and tested for too long now. We ask that the reckless attacks on them and other innocent Nigerians be brought to a halt through the proper use of security intelligence/expertise available to government and security agencies both within and beyond Nigeria.

“The explosive devices have become like toys used at will and local and sophisticated arms escape our sea ports, land borders and find their way into the hands of criminals and hoodlums; it is a cause for very great concern.”

Corruption

On corruption, he said: “A few Nigerians wallow in unbelievable wealth and spend recklessly what should be for all of us. Unbridled corruption and impunity among the nation’s political class is worrisome, particularly as the mismanagement is at all levels of government.”

On arms, ammunition

According to him, the apparently unchecked flow of arms and ammunition into the country and the attendant killings have made “most Nigerians wonder whether we are on top of the situation as usually claimed by government and security agencies.”

He, however, gave the assurance that the Catholic Bishops and the faithful were committed to a united and peaceful Nigeria despite the blood-lettings of Christians and would continue to pray for the men of violence to change their ways and learn to love others like themselves.

Kaigama said the long term goal of the Boko Haram attacks on Christian was to cause sectarian violence and thus the disintegration of Nigeria and urged that “we must collectively resist the attempt to pitch Northern Nigeria against Southern Nigeria; Christians against Muslims.”