Lagos Archbishop warns FG against leniency toward bandits, says Nigeria edging toward chaos

…condemns abductions in Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged the Federal Government to take firmer and more decisive action against the growing wave of insecurity across the country, warning that Nigeria is “drifting dangerously toward chaos.”

In a strongly worded statement, Archbishop Martins expressed deep concern over the resurgence of terrorist attacks, mass abductions, and violent assaults on schools and religious institutions, describing recent incidents as a troubling sign that criminal groups are becoming increasingly emboldened.

The cleric condemned Monday’s attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were taken from their dormitory. He also decried the assault on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, carried out on Friday, in which additional students were abducted.

“These events immediately bring to mind the painful memory of the Chibok girls’ abduction in 2014, a tragedy that still weighs heavily on the national conscience,” he said.

Archbishop Martins also criticised the kidnapping of Father Bobbo Paschal of St. Stephen Catholic Church in Kaduna State, during which a relative of another priest lost his life. He said the string of attacks shows the boldness of those bent on destabilising the country.

“It is disturbing that these crimes are increasing, especially after the recent threat made by President Donald Trump regarding the state of Christian persecution in Nigeria,” he noted. “There appear to be elements determined to plunge this nation into disorder.”

He questioned how armed groups were able to infiltrate schools, overpower security personnel, and abduct underage students with such ease. While welcoming reports that one of the abducted Kebbi students had escaped, he called for intensified efforts to rescue the remaining 24 still in captivity.

The Archbishop also referenced the recent killing of General Muhammad Uba by terrorists and the attack on worshippers in a church in Eruku, Kwara State, saying the incidents further underscore the gravity of the security crisis.

“If a serving army general can be killed in this way, what hope does the ordinary citizen have? It is clear that more must be done to secure lives and property,” he said.

Martins urged the government and security agencies to “act with urgency” and restore public confidence in their ability to protect citizens. Although he acknowledged repeated assurances from the military about their readiness, he questioned why such reassurances have not translated into effective deterrence.

He called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to prioritise the rescue of abducted Nigerians and to ensure that all perpetrators and their sponsors are identified and brought to justice. He further appealed to political leaders across party lines to unite in support of the nation’s security forces.

“Every resource, every tool, and every form of cooperation must be deployed,” he emphasised. “No effort should be spared in confronting those who seek to terrorise our people.”