A human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has made a strong case for an additional serving Cardinal for the Catholic Church in Nigeria to strengthen its membership.
The group observed that of the four Cardinals so far produced by the Catholic Church in Nigeria, three have retired and reached over 80 years of age, including Francis Cardinal Arinze (92), Anthony Cardinal Okogie (88) and John Cardinal Onaiyekan (81), leaving only Peter Cardinal Okpaleke, who is currently 62 years.
Intersociety, in a statement by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi in Enugu on Sunday, stated that Nigeria, with the second largest Catholics in Africa after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is too big to be left with one serving Cardinal.
Congratulating the new Pope Robert Francis Prevost (Pope Leo XIV), the group stated that one major tasks facing him is entrustment of the leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria in the hands of a brave, courageous and unpurchasable Catholic Bishops and Priests; especially against the backdrop of widespread attacks on defenseless members of the Church, their church buildings and schools by the country’s well-funded Islamic Jihadists and their patrons.
It alleged that the leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria has been enveloped by “builders of heavenly paradises on earth” and disciples of “materialistic evangelism”, leading to the retardation of the growth of the Church across the country.
Continuing, it stated that in the first five months of 2025 in Nigeria, not less than 14 Catholic priests have been abducted, with one killed by Jihadists and other merchants of death.
“Therefore, since bestowment of a Cardinal involves several considerations including bravery, fearlessness, selflessness and full dedication to the work of God including untiring defense of Christian Faith, Intersociety is calling on new Pope Robert Francis Prevost (Pope Leo XIV) and his Distinguished College of Cardinals to evaluate the person and character of His Lordship, Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Benue State,” the group said.
“As a matter of fact, His Lordship, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe should be elevated as Nigeria’s second serving Cardinal. Father Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe is also found to be within the energetic age of 60, having been born in 1965. The fiery Prelate was in the international news in recent months gone by, during which he bravely spoke out about the massacre of Christians by Fulani Jihadists in Benue State.
“The fiery Catholic Bishop also informed that his life and dignity of human person are under threat; in addition to his rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement, assembly, thought, conscience, religion and expression are facing serious infringement and attack.
“It is not only that he is facing a serious threat and persecution from the State and radical Islamists but, according to him, his Diocese of Makurdi has lost more than 14 parishes to Fulani Jihadists in recent times. It is also our demand that Rev Father Remigius Ihyula of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi and Parish Priest of St Mary’s Genade in Benue State, another courageous Catholic cleric, should be made a Monsignor or possibly consecrated a Bishop.”
The group also warned the new Pope and the College of Cardinals to be wary of Papal Knighthood seekers from Nigeria’s South-East region, accusing four of its five governors of being “more loyal to enemies of the Church and Christian faith than their professed denomination.”
It also stated that the country’s Islamic Jihadists and their patrons have cut down the growth of Catholics and defense of Christian Faith by about 30% in 16 years, during which not less than sixteen Catholic dioceses were uprooted or threatened with religicide.
It cited archdioceses of Kaduna and Plateau States, three dioceses in Benue State, Minna and Kontagora in Niger State as places where Christian communities have been uprooted and taken over by combined forces of Jihadist Boko Haram and Fulani bandits.
