Nigeria -The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has decried the resurgence of killings and destruction of property in some parts of the country while the government remains helpless.

The bishops regretted that the culture of killing was becoming a norm in the country, warning that the persistent devaluation of human life and property posed an existential threat to the survival of Nigeria as a united nation.

This was contained in a communique the bishops issued at the end of their first plenary meeting in Abuja titled, ‘Good governance in Nigeria and the common good’, read in all the Catholic parishes in Nigeria on Sunday.

In the communique signed by Most Rev. Augustine Akubueze, President of CBCN and Archbishop of Benin City and Most Reverend Camillus Umoh, Secretary and Bishop of Ikot-Ekpene respectively, the bishops appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Kaduna State governor and governors of other affected states to take serious steps to arrest the ongoing carnage before total anarchy and mayhem consumed the entire nation.

“We have received with deep sorrow, the tragic news of the resurgence of further horrific killings in some parts of Kaduna State, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Edo, Rivers, Zamfara, Adamawa and other states. Against the backdrop of the violence and bloodshed that characterised the last elections, we are pained that the culture of death is becoming embedded in our daily lives.

“This persistent devaluation of human life and property poses an existential threat to our personal survival and that of our nation. How can government continue to appear helpless in the face of such shameful tragedy?” they queried.

On the conduct of the 2019 general elections, the Catholic bishops said the elections could not be described as free and fair even as winners had been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

They decried the level of voter apathy during the Governorship and state House of Assembly elections which they attributed to the militarisation and subversion of the will of the people during the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

“We believed that this apathy may not have been unconnected with, among other things, the violence, malpractice and unnecessary militarisation of the process, all of which contributed to eroding the people’s confidence in the electoral process. We have taken note of those who have been declared winners and commend the civility of those who rejected the results but have chosen to express their grievances through legitimate means under the law rather than through violence.

“Whatever the outcome, justice must be seen to have been done. We admonish whoever holds power at the end of the day to remember that power belongs to God and to Him alone. God demands strict accountability for how anyone takes power and uses it, for God cannot be deceived or challenged.

“We affirm that elections are an opportunity for people through the ballot to freely choose those who will serve them. We denounce the unfortunate incident of loss of lives and destruction of property, which is ongoing even now.

“We however admonish that elections should not be turned into a battle between warriors fighting to capture power and conquer territory and people at all cost,” the communique read in parts.