The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, on Thursday, said that the increasing security challenges in the country would not end through self-defence or providing arms to communities; rather, it would only offer a false sense of security.
The cleric stated this while speaking in Abuja at a national dialogue on ‘A Whole-of-Society Approach to Prevention of Violence and Conflict in Northern Nigeria’, which was organised by the National Peace Committee, Kukah Centre, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He pointed out that Nigeria has too many underlying ailments, such as unstable homes, fragmented communities, and weakened moral foundations, noting that these vulnerabilities create fertile ground for bandits and criminals.
Kukah raised questions about what would happen to the weapons given to people to defend themselves if/when peace returned to the country.
The cleric stated that the nation ” can only overcome its security challenges when every citizen, irrespective of faith, ethnic or cultural background, comes together to fight the common enemy.
“The scale and depth of the insecurity problem in the country show that we have hit rock bottom, and the only direction left is upwards.
“There is a growing belief that communities can defend themselves by arming up. But arms will not solve our problems. They offer a false sense of security.
“And when peace returns, where will those weapons go? As a Christian, it is not accidental that Jesus asked Peter to put back his sword. God’s teachings do not change; circumstances may change, but the truth does not.”
He described the gathering as not a conversation for its own sake, but part of a long journey, which, he said, calls on each of us, in our various traditions, to be custodians of conscience and custodians of hope.
“We meet because we believe Nigeria is worth fighting for—not with weapons, but with truth, courage, justice and compassion.
“Our gathering is meant to respond to the cries in our land, not to look for scapegoats or excuses. Nigeria remains a country searching for itself, blessed with extraordinary diversity.
“Our challenge is to turn that diversity into an asset, not a liability. Nation-building is about gathering and harmonising possibilities and skills from across the board,” Kukah said.
The cleric pointed out Nigeria should learn from the United States of America, which, he said, thrives today because of its diversity, adding that “If diversity were a liability, America would not be what it is.”
“Let us also acknowledge that peace cannot be outsourced. Peace is the collective work of all of us,” he said.
Kukah said that the whole-of-society approach dictates that every segment of society must participate actively in solving the problem of insecurity.
According to him, the government must lead with humility, transparency and justice, while religious and traditional leaders must guide with courage, especially in confronting extremism within their own communities.
He added, “Peace begins with individuals, families, communities and societies. If each of us seeks peace where we are, the nation will benefit.
“We must build trust. We must speak for the voiceless. We must feel free to raise our voices. Women make up the majority of our population, yet many lack a voice, not because of numbers, but because voice means participation and representation.”
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