Catholic archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, has urged the federal government and security agencies to adopt new strategies to address insecurity in the country.
Kaigama, who spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2025 Chrism Mass held at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, said the “attackers are not ghosts” but people who “can be identified and punished”.
“We continue to witness criminality that robs people of their lives, which should be sacred. One can only imagine how many families are left devastated, traumatised, and broken severely with these attacks, destructions and killings,” he said.
“By now, one would think that with the combination of modern technology and non-kinetic methods, criminality would have been greatly reduced in Nigeria.
“The recurring violence in different parts of the nation is a sign of a nation in need of healing.
“I think there is a need for inter-agency cooperation; the security agencies must collaborate to end this circle of killings in our country.
“These attackers are not ghosts; they are people who can be identified and punished. So, I am hoping that the government will take a new step in that regard.”
He urged government authorities to take decisive measures to break the cycle of violence, noting that security agencies must work together to end the recurrent killings in the country.
Kaigama commended Nigerians for their enduring resilience, noting that they are ready to celebrate “even in the midst of hardship”.
“Our president has promised us to do something about the insecurity. We are with him; we will support him,” he said.
“People are asking for just their rights and basic amenities; it is not a big deal to pay salaries and provide schools and hospitals with facilities.”
There have been spates of attacks across the country, with gunmen killing more than 100 people in Plateau communities in two weeks.