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The Correspondent of RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA in Abuja, the political capital of Nigeria, has reported that Amid Rising Insecurity in Nigeria, a renowned Catholic Archbishop who was the immediate past President of the West African Conference of Bishops, Defends “self-defense” from “bloodthirsty criminals.”

In the face of a surge in cases of insecurity in Nigeria, including attacks, abductions, and killings, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of the country’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja has expressed his support for self-defense.

In an interview with ACI Africa made available to our reporter, on the sidelines of the celebration of Palm Sunday, April 13, Archbishop Kaigama described self-defense as a form of “natural justice” that saves one from “bloodthirsty criminals”.

“Self-defense is natural justice. How you defend yourself is important. You can’t just sit there, and somebody comes to kill your family, and you say they are not protecting you. You must rise up and protect yourself and your communities against these bloodthirsty criminals,” he said.

The Nigerian Catholic Archbishop lamented the systemic breakdown in Nigeria that has forced citizens to provide essential services for themselves, saying, “In this country, you want water, you do your borehole. You want protection? Find a security guard. You want light, you find your electricity. You want good medicine, you pay for it in the hospital,”

“Everything is about the individual, and you wonder where the authorities are,” he further lamented, adding, “I urge our leaders to look again and see the situation, the insecurity that generates unnecessary bloodshed, and we pray that this will come to an end.

The Nigerian government, Archbishop Kaigama said, “must do everything humanly possible, and use sophisticated technology to arrest these criminal activities.”

He challenged the government to reclaim its role as a provider and protector, saying, “Government as a leadership will be seriously seen as making available what is improving life and socioeconomic conditions. That will also bring about good relationships among people, and crime will reduce, and all these things will be a thing of the past.”

The Local Ordinary of Abuja noted that for Nigeria to make meaningful progress, the nation’s vast resources must be harnessed for the benefit of its citizens.

“Leaders should first put the people on the front burner in everything they are doing. We have enormous resources in this country, both human and natural. This should be directed to improve the lives of the people,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama went on to lament the disconnect between the ruling class and the realities faced by everyday Nigerians. He said, “People are suffering economically; people have serious challenges. If we manage the resources we have well, and our leaders put our ordinary people first, I think we shall go a long way.”

The Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo emphasized the urgent need for selfless governance, transparency, and national introspection, warning that Nigeria’s future depends on a moral and strategic realignment of its priorities devoid of corrupt practices.

“We must avoid immorality, poor leadership, and other corrupt practices, if we must build a developed country that will stand tall among other nations of the world,” he said.

Reflecting on Holy Week, the 66-year-old Nigerian Catholic Archbishop called upon his compatriots to engage in personal reflection, advocating for a spiritual and ethical awakening.

“We ask that people should thoroughly examine themselves, because nobody can do it for you. So, you look into your life and see where it needs correction,” he told ACI Africa.

Archbishop Kaigama added, “We hope that when we have such periods like Easter, like Lent, we look into it, and I think we shall make Nigeria far better if we just apply the rules.”

Rev. Fr. George Nwachukwu
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