The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has expressed deep concern about the state of the nation, warning that Nigeria is “sitting on a ticking time bomb” due to poverty, hardship, corruption, and a growing debt burden. In his welcome address at the 2024 second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN, President of the Catholic body, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, stated, “As long as the nation is afflicted with poverty, hardship and corruption, and as long as the future of youths in our nation remains bleak, we continue to experience protests.”
Ugorji acknowledged some progress made by President Bola Tinubu’s administration but emphasized that the present state of the nation is worrisome. He mentioned the recent #EndbadGovernance protests by Nigerian youths, which aimed to express their disappointment and frustration with the nation’s ills. While condemning the killing of protesting youths by security operatives, Ugorji stressed that citizens have the constitutional right to peaceful protests.
The Archbishop of Owerri expressed concern about the nation’s growing debt burden, stating, “Servicing huge debts to international monetary agencies and sourcing for funds internally to balance budget deficit led to the economic reforms of Mr President, consisting mainly in the withdrawal of fuel subsidies and the floating of naira.” He warned that trying to suppress protests rather than addressing the underlying issues is “delusional and condemnable.”
Ugorji emphasized that the future of the nation depends on how the challenges are tackled, expressing optimism that trust in God would transform the country. He urged the government to address the root causes of protests rather than trying to silence citizens, saying, “We are indeed sitting on a ticking time bomb as security operatives try to crack down on some of those involved in the protest and their sponsors on trumped-up charges.”
