By Paschal Norbert
ABUJA, MARCH 14, 2025 (CISA) – Hope and renewal were central themes as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) concluded its First Plenary Meeting of 2025. In a communiqué issued at the end of the gathering, the bishops urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in faith, unity, and commitment to national transformation, despite prevailing socio-economic and security challenges. They emphasized the need for hope as a guiding force in building a better nation.
The plenary, held from March 8-14, 2025, took place at the CSN Resource Centre, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja. In the communiqué, the bishops also addressed critical concerns, including governance, security, economic hardships, and the role of the Church in nation-building.
Reflecting on the Jubilee Year of Hope, proclaimed by Pope Francis in Spes Non Confundit (“Hope does not disappoint” – Romans 5:5), the bishops underscored the importance of hope in overcoming Nigeria’s challenges.
“The Jubilee Year of Hope invites the whole world to a new impetus for renewal. It also presents the Church with a profound opportunity for introspection and renewed commitment to its mission within both the Nigerian and global contexts,” they stated.
They called for deeper catechesis, stronger scriptural literacy, and authentic Christian witnessing, urging Nigerian Catholics to be beacons of hope in their communities.
A Call for National Unity and Security Reform
The bishops acknowledged some positive developments, such as economic initiatives in the petroleum sector, improved road infrastructure, the introduction of a student loan scheme, and efforts to reduce the debt service-to-revenue ratio. However, they also highlighted ongoing struggles, including insecurity, inflation, and rising unemployment.
“In spite of all these, our nation still has some serious challenges bordering on harsh socio-economic conditions, persistent insecurity across the nation, rising youth unemployment, and restiveness. There is high cost of essential goods, including food. Cases of kidnapping and the mindless killing of innocent people still abound,” the bishops observed.
Emphasizing the need for unity, the bishops urged political, religious, and traditional leaders to foster peace and national cohesion. They specifically called for the reopening of schools in regions where insecurity had led to closures, stressing that education is a fundamental right.
Addressing security concerns, they recommended the adoption of advanced technology for intelligence gathering, better remuneration for security personnel, and stronger crime prosecution efforts.
“For the provision of security of life and property in our nation, we urge that governments at all levels deploy high technology, like is already done in some states, to complement the efforts of security agencies for efficient intelligence gathering,” the prelates appealed.
Justice and the Dignity of Life
Reaffirming the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment, the bishops made a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant clemency to Sunday Jackson, whose death sentence was recently upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Nineteen Northern States and the FCT Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had previously condemned the ruling, arguing that Jackson had “been subjected to the excruciating pain of waiting for death in the midst of the shadow of death by the grave travesty of the misinterpretation of Section 23 of the Adamawa State Penal Code Laws and the unnecessary prolonged trial that lasted six and a half years, which ordinarily should not have lasted such a lengthy period.”
The bishops joined this appeal, calling for compassion in light of the Jubilee Year of Hope and advocating for broader justice system reforms.
They also called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s correctional system, including decongesting prisons, respecting the fundamental rights of inmates, and improving rehabilitation programs.
The Catholic Bishops suggested , “To improve on the state of our custodial centres, we enjoin the Federal and State Governments to undertake the following: uphold fundamental rights of inmates, treating them with dignity; expedite the dispensation of justice; decongest correctional centres by granting parole to well-behaved minor offenders; rehabilitate existing facilities; and construct new centres to ease overcrowding.”
Building a New Nigeria Through Truth and Justice
The bishops also challenged Nigerians to embrace truth, justice, and love as the foundation for national renewal. They warned against religious competition that fosters division and instead called for genuine worship and cooperation among different faiths.
“The desire for a New Nigeria must commit to truth, justice, and love. We, therefore, call on all to be true to our worship of God, eschewing external religiosity and competition geared towards religious superiority or supremacy,” they warned.
They also stressed the role of the media in nation-building, urging journalists to balance their reporting by highlighting both challenges and positive developments.
