Nigeria sliding toward anarchy, Archbishop Martins warns, urges swift federal action
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has issued a stark warning to the Federal Government, cautioning that the nation is “drifting dangerously toward chaos” amid a surge in violent attacks and mass abductions across several states.
In a statement released on Saturday, by the Director of Social Communications for the Lagos Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu, the Archbishop said the escalation of terrorist activities and the rising number of unprovoked killings underscored the urgent need for decisive government intervention.
He also called on security agencies to identify and dismantle terror networks, along with the sponsors fueling the persistent unrest.
According to Martins, “The recent wave of attacks—coming in the aftermath of a public threat issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, suggests a coordinated effort by hostile elements seeking to destabilise the country.
“It is deeply troubling that we have witnessed an escalation in terrorist incidents nationwide, particularly since that threat was made.
“Some forces clearly appear intent on plunging Nigeria into disorder,” he said.
The Archbishop condemned Monday’s predawn raid on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where 25 students were seized from their dormitory.
During the assault, he noted, the school’s Vice Principal and Chief Security Officer, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, were shot dead after gunmen breached the compound and exchanged fire with police before escaping with the girls.
The frightened students, many between the ages of 12 and 17, were reportedly taken into the surrounding forests.
While one of the abducted girls has managed to escape, 24 remain unaccounted for.
Martins also referenced Friday’s attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, where additional students were kidnapped, an incident he said revived painful memories of the 2014 Chibok school abductions.
The Archbishop also decried recent attacks on Christian communities, including the abduction of Father Bobbo Paschal from St. Stephen Catholic Church in Kushe Gudgu, Kaduna State. During the assault, the brother of another priest, Gideon Markus, was killed while trying to protect him.
Similarly, he cited the violent killing of Army General Muhammad Uba and a brutal attack on worshippers at a church in Eruku, Kwara State, as devastating indications of the attackers’ boldness.
“If a serving general can be murdered in such a brazen manner,” he asked, “how can any ordinary citizen feel safe?”
Martins urged the Tinubu administration to accelerate efforts to rescue victims of the recent abductions, particularly the schoolgirls taken in Kebbi.
He stressed that the Constitution obligates the government to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens, adding that security agencies must prove capable of countering the increasingly frequent assaults.
While acknowledging assurances from the military, he questioned why such attacks continue unabated.
He also appealed to political leaders across party lines to support national security efforts, insisting that every available resource must be deployed to dismantle terrorist networks and prosecute their financiers.
