Fr. Justine John Dyikuk, RFI Senior Fellow for International Religious Freedom Policy, authored an article published recently in The Pillar on the Nigerian Catholic bishops’ recent message rebuking the Nigerian government for failing to address the ongoing violence, poverty, and anti-Christian terrorism in the country. Fr. Dyikuk writes:

The Nigerian bishops’ conference issued a blistering criticism of the country’s government on Thursday, as bishops said government leaders have not addressed the country’s ongoing violence or Nigeria’s flagging economy.

The rebuke came ahead of federal elections in Nigeria – which has one of the largest Catholic populations in the world – as bishops have criticized the country’s ruling party for fielding a president ticket without a Christian candidate.

The bishops’ message came at the end of a plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN); the meeting began Sept. 8 and formally concludes Friday.

“The threshold of a new dawn in Nigeria” – the CBCN text issued Thursday – focused on two challenges: heightened insecurity in the country and Nigeria’s poor economy. In both cases, the bishops said the government of President Muhammadu Buhari failed to protect Nigerians from poverty and violence.

Read the full article: Nigeria Bishops: ‘Poverty and Hunger in Our Land’ Unaddressed by Buhari Government