By Paschal Norbert
ABUJA, FEBRUARY 13, 2026 (CISA) – The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the escalating wave of killings and abductions across the country, describing Nigeria as a “slaughterhouse” and warning that continued inaction risks eroding the moral and constitutional foundations of the nation.
In a statement dated February 7, 2026, titled “The Cry of the Innocent: Stop this Slaughterhouse in Nigeria!” the Secretariat expressed “profound outrage and sorrow at the ongoing assault on human life and dignity,” citing renewed attacks that have left communities devastated and citizens increasingly disillusioned.
“The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) decries the relentless wave of killings and abductions that continue to plague our nation,” the statement reads, noting “After years of repeated complaints and unfulfilled promises, violence persists unchecked, leaving more communities devastated and citizens weary of empty condolences that do not guarantee their safety.”
The Secretariat pointed to specific incidents between late January and early February 2026, highlighting coordinated attacks and recurring violence in several states.
It questioned how “over 160 innocent civilians were slaughtered in one coordinated attack in Woro, Kwara State,” and referenced repeated killings and abductions in Agwara and Tungar Gero in Niger State, the wiping out of entire farming communities in Katsina and Kaduna States, and ongoing violence in Borno.
“This is not ‘instability’ but a massacre allowed by silence and a betrayal of every Nigerian’s right to live in peace,” the Secretariat stated, rejecting narratives that downplay the severity of the crisis.
The CSN reminded political leaders that the Constitution is not merely symbolic but binding.
“The Constitution is not a lofty document of ideals but a binding covenant with the people,” the statement said.
It warned that when citizens are slaughtered with impunity and communities live in perpetual fear, “the very foundation of governance is undermined,” and any government unable to safeguard its people risks diminishing its moral authority to lead.
The Secretariat further cautioned against normalization of violence, stating that “silence in the face of such horror … can hardly escape being labelled as complicit.” It argued that every unaddressed attack and unpunished crime deepens mistrust between citizens and those charged with their protection.
“Nigeria cannot afford to normalize bloodshed or treat mass killings as routine tragedies,” it stressed.
Invoking international human rights frameworks, the CSN noted that Nigeria is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which affirm the right to life as fundamental and non-negotiable.
“Yet, the state continues to treat this right as optional, allowing bloodshed to persist unchecked,” the statement lamented.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, the Catholic Secretariat proposed a series of concrete measures. It called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts in redeploying security forces strategically “from ceremonial press centres to the actual frontlines where citizens are under siege.”
The Secretariat also demanded that authorities “identify, expose, and prosecute the sponsors and enablers of terror, regardless of their political, religious or social status.”
Additionally, it urged the arrest and prosecution of all perpetrators of violence, warning that “impunity is nothing less than a licence for further bloodshed.” The statement emphasized the need for urgent relief, psychosocial care and compensation for victims and their families, alongside rebuilding destroyed communities to restore “hope and dignity to the indigenes of the land.”
Describing Nigeria as standing “at a crossroads,” the CSN appealed to leaders at all levels, political, religious and community, to rise above division and work collectively to restore peace.
“We cannot allow mass graves to define our national story,” it declared. “The blood of all innocent Nigerians cry out to heaven, and their memory must compel us to act with sincerity, courage and compassion.”
