Catholic bishops: Nigeria sitting on time bomb

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria on Sunday said Nigeria is “sitting on a ticking time bomb” under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The Catholic body of Bishops also said that as long as the issues of poverty, hardship and corruption continue to be the lots of Nigerians, the nation should be ready to contend with more protests.

President of the Catholic body, who is the Archbishop of Owerri, and the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, stated this in his welcome address at the opening Session of the 2024 second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN taking place in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He said, “We wish to stress that 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 protest. Rather than address the ill, trying to drown the nation, some government officials are busy passing the buck and looking for a scapegoat.

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“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.

“This raises concerns about whether they are trying to strip citizens of their democratic rights and freedoms to protest or give the impression that everything in the country is fine and there was really no need for the protest. This is delusional and condemnable.”