By GBENGA OMOKHUNU, Abuja

Following the unabated killings in the country, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) alongside other churches, are expected to hold a prayer procession on the street of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday.

According to the conference, the procession, which will be led by the CBCN President, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze, is scheduled to start from the Ecumenical Centre, Central area, to Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro Cathedral, Area 3, Garki to seek God’s intervention in the insecurity situation of the country.

The CBCN last Wednesday issued a statement condemning the ills in the country and advised the Federal Government to name, arrest and prosecute those sponsoring killings of innocent people.

CBCN lamented the repeated: “barbaric executions of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group and other terrorists have traumatised many citizens.”

The bishops pleaded with government to urgently put a stop to the killings before the situation gets out of hand.

The Catholics were dressed in black to mourn the dead and also offered prayers for peace and unity in the country.

As Christians all over the world begins the lending season, the CBCN urged all Catholics in Nigeria as well as other Christians and persons of goodwill to unite in prayer and penance for peace and security.

It said the level of insecurity in Nigeria presently is such that: “whether at home or on the road, most Nigerians, in all the parts of the country, live in fear”.

Part of the statement reads in part: “Aware of our moral responsibility, may we, once again, remind all the arms of Government in Nigeria and all whose responsibility it is to protect Nigerians that without security there can be no peace and without peace, there can be no development or national growth.

We, therefore, appeal to the Government to immediately put a stop to this unprecedented wave of violence and brutality aimed particularly at Christians.

We also call for the arrest and prosecution of all those behind these senseless killings that sow the dangerous seeds of hate and distrust among the various segments of the Nigerian society.

“We are sad. We are in sorrow and grief. But we are confident that the light of Christ, which shines in our hearts, will brighten the dark corners of our Nigerian society.

“As a mark of mourning for all our brothers and sisters who have been victims of the most recent wave of violence against Christians, we are all dressed in black today and offer our prayers and penance for their repose.

“We invite the universal Church and all Christians to join us in prayers for our dead brothers and sisters and for peace and security in Nigeria.

“We equally appeal to the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian government in the fight against these daredevil terrorists, who want to graze our country.

The consequences, should they succeed, will be grave not only for the West African sub-region but also for Africa as a whole.” (The Nation)

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