The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has declared that the pervasive insecurity in Nigeria signifies the nation has “hit rock bottom,” but insists the only way forward is upward through a fundamental societal shift.
Speaking at a national dialogue on conflict prevention in Abuja on Thursday, the influential cleric and member of the National Peace Committee stated bluntly, “No Nigerian needs an explanation about insecurity. If you haven’t personally felt it, you certainly know someone who has.”
A Call for Shared Responsibility and Courage
Bishop Kukah argued that achieving peace requires a “whole-of-society” approach, with government leading through humility and justice, and religious and traditional leaders showing courage to address extremism within their communities.
“We must feel free to raise our voices. Citizenship is not only about voting; it is also about accountability. When leaders fail us, we must hold them responsible,” he asserted.
He cautioned against militaristic solutions, stating that “weapons provide a false sense of security” and do not address the deep-rooted, structural challenges—unstable homes, fragmented communities, and weakened moral foundations—that create vulnerabilities for criminal activity.
Centering Women and Youth
A central theme of his address was the need to empower marginalized groups. “Women and young people must move from the margins to the centre,” Kukah said. He criticized the assumption that wisdom belongs only to men, noting that “women raise families and hold societies together,” while young people are active agents of change who “must be taken seriously.”
He described Nigeria’s extraordinary diversity as a potential asset rather than a liability, emphasizing that nation-building is about “harmonizing the skills and possibilities across society.”
The dialogue was organized by the National Peace Committee, The Kukah Centre, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, reflecting an effort to forge collaborative strategies against the violence plaguing the northern region and the nation at large.
Disclaimer:
This article reports on the views and statements made by a prominent religious leader at a public forum. The opinions expressed are those of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah. CDA News presents this as a significant contribution to the national discourse on security and governance.
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