Catholic bishops across the country under the aegis of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria visited President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday with a clear message: all are not well with the country.
They told the President that those they look after as spiritual leaders are being abducted or displaced by members of the Boko Haram sect, therefore turning them into refugees in their own land.
The group’s President, Bishop Ignatius Kaigama, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the bishops were concerned that families were being stranded and there was the need for them to inform the President about the victims’ plights formally.
He said, “We feel that things are not right. Our land is being taken away; the people we look after are displaced, their homes, their villages, towns are captured and they are internally displaced being refugees in their own land.
“We thought this is not right. We have families that are just stranded.
We thought that the President should know.
“As a Catholic, we have laid a good structure for relief and taking care of such situation, we want the government to collaborate with us.
“We have what we call the Catholic Peace and Justice, Commission, we respond when there is an emergency. We know how to technically do registration of displaced people.
“The little funds we gather we buy clothing’s and materials and are able to reach out very effectively, you would almost say
scientifically because every victim gets something.”
Kaigama added that the meeting with the President was based on the bishops’ concerns about the situation of security in the nation as well as political developments.
He said the meeting was aimed at reminding the President of what he was aware of.
They told the President that those they look after as spiritual leaders are being abducted or displaced by members of the Boko Haram sect, therefore turning them into refugees in their own land.
The group’s President, Bishop Ignatius Kaigama, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the bishops were concerned that families were being stranded and there was the need for them to inform the President about the victims’ plights formally.
He said, “We feel that things are not right. Our land is being taken away; the people we look after are displaced, their homes, their villages, towns are captured and they are internally displaced being refugees in their own land.
“We thought this is not right. We have families that are just stranded.
We thought that the President should know.
“As a Catholic, we have laid a good structure for relief and taking care of such situation, we want the government to collaborate with us.
“We have what we call the Catholic Peace and Justice, Commission, we respond when there is an emergency. We know how to technically do registration of displaced people.
“The little funds we gather we buy clothing’s and materials and are able to reach out very effectively, you would almost say
scientifically because every victim gets something.”
Kaigama added that the meeting with the President was based on the bishops’ concerns about the situation of security in the nation as well as political developments.
He said the meeting was aimed at reminding the President of what he was aware of.
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