Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has made a passionate appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to rescue Nigerians from the deepening crisis of hunger, insecurity, and despair.
In his Easter message on Sunday, April 21, Kukah lamented the suffering across the country, noting that citizens continue to endure hardship, despite the removal of fuel subsidies which he described as the right decision.
“Mr. President, hunger, sickness and desolation stalk the land. We still believe removing the subsidies was the right decision.
“We note that the country now has a huge volume of resources in its domestic reserves. For over ten years now, farming has become one of the most hazardous pre-occupations in our country,” Kukah said.
He called on the government to protect Nigerians from “marauders, murderers, savages and ravenous predators who threaten to overrun our nation,” warning that violence and insecurity have become entrenched in every part of the country.
“Today we have watched as the cancer of insecurity and violence have metastasised. Now, this cancer threatens the very foundation of our common humanity,” he said.
The cleric condemned the continued distribution of palliatives, describing it as a move that “diminishes the dignity of citizens.” Instead, he advised the government to take more sustainable measures.
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“Make food security a fundamental human right to all citizens,” he urged. “Please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger.”
Kukah argued that bandits, once used as political tools, have now become a permanent threat, leaving destruction in their wake.
“Across the entire country, every day, innocent citizens are kidnapped and held under the most inhuman conditions. A dark pall of death hangs languidly from north to south.
“It is impossible to find a home, a family, or a community that has not been caught in the cusp of this savagery. Now, Mr. President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point.
“The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue. Mr. President, with a greater sense of urgency, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil,” he said.
Kukah acknowledged that Tinubu did not create Nigeria’s current problems but stressed that citizens cannot endure this suffering any longer.
“Mr President, we all admit that you neither erected this cross nor did you affect our collective crucifixion.
“Notwithstanding, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long,” he said.