Nigerians Can No Longer Tolerate Incessant Killings, Bishop Nwokolo Tells Buhari

By Julie Sylvia

The Bishop of the Diocese on the Niger (Anglican Communion), Rt Rev. Dr Owen Nwokolo has challenged the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to take firm and decisive action towards curbing rising spates of killings, kidnapping and other terrorists acts in Nigeria.

Bishop Nwokolo made the call in an address he delivered at the 32nd Synod of the diocese at the All Saints’ Cathedral, Onitsha on Friday.

Reacting to the terrorist attack on worshippers at a Catholic church at Owo, Ondo state last weekend, he lamented that the heightened level of insecurity in the country had inflicted physical and emotional pains to many Nigerians.

He described the development where the citizens are no longer safe anywhere across the country due to activities of terror groups such as Boko Haram and other Islamist sects, Fulani Herdsmen/cattle rustlers, Unknown Gunmen, Kidnapers etc. as unacceptable.

He bemoaned: “Nigerians can no longer tolerate the on-going senseless killings here and there”.

He appealed to President Buhari and his security chiefs to rise to the occasion by halting the bloodletting in the country. He argued that it was the constitutional responsibility of the federal government to protect lives and property of the citizens.

Bishop Nwokolo suggested further beefing up of the nation’s military strength by voting adequate budget and to diligently appropriate same for quality military personnel and modern fighting hardware.

On the ongoing face-off between the Federal Government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has paralyzed academic activities across the universities, the bishop urged the government to carry out an objective appraisal of the demands of the lecturers and do the needful. He also appealed to the striking lecturers to re-assess their demands, stressing that In negotiations of such nature and magnitude, disagreeing parties are expected to shift grounds for a possible positive resolution.

“They should do this, at least, for the education and future of our children”, he added.

The cleric also urged Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to brace up for the task of fixing the state. According to him, the Soludo administration is faced with numerous challenges ahead, noting that there were virtually no good roads in the state, adding that he (Soludo) *should be generous enough to budget adequate funds to fix them”.

Reacting to the government’s ongoing efforts to clean up the state and restore its beauty, the Bishop said, “As we commend him for swiftly clearing mounting of refuse heaps in the state that greeted him on arrival, we earnestly advise him to workout strategies on how to maintain cleanliness in the state”.

Highpoints of the event included fund raising and renditions by the Cathedral Choir. Over 15 bishops and Archbishops from various parts of Nigeria attended the Synod.