Cardinal Onayekan has warned that the Nigerian government knows those behind widespread killings and must act decisively to halt the nation’s escalating insecurity.
The Archbishop Emeritus of the Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onayekan, has issued a stern warning to Nigerian authorities over the country’s deepening insecurity, insisting that government officials know the individuals responsible for killings and abductions nationwide. His comments were made during an interview on ARISE News on Saturday, according to a report from ARISE NEWS.
Cardinal Onayekan said the persistence of violent attacks reflects governance failure and a lack of decisive leadership. “Nobody can counteract that Nigerians are being killed. They are being killed. And we believe the government knows who are those killing Nigerians,” he said.
He stressed that what is happening “should not be happening,” noting that citizens “should not be traveling on the roads with our hearts in our minds,” and children “should not be picked from schools.” He warned that Nigerians have lost patience, declaring, “There’s no more room for excuses,” and urging the government to “name, shame and deal with all the supporters, the financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.”
The Archbishop criticised official claims of progress, saying denial does not help the country. He reminded leaders that they sought votes and must now “do the work” of keeping citizens safe.
Onayekan also dismissed suggestions that Nigeria is an Islamic state, urged collaboration between Christian and Muslim leaders, and called for immediate action to stop impunity and restore security across affected communities.