The fact that the perpetrators of the July 15 attack have not been arrested is frustrating. He said, “This will continue to go on unabated. Nobody has even been arrested. It is very sad news to hear something like that. And I think this is where I call on the government to intensify their efforts to make sure that this cannot continue the way it is going.”
The Local Ordinary of Jos Archdiocese explained that the Church has consistently raised alarm about insecurity, but that government responses have often fallen short.
He acknowledged that the military and police have made efforts, but he said the persistence of attacks shows that more decisive action is needed, calling on political leaders to go beyond promises and demonstrate a real commitment to protecting lives.
“The life of every Nigerian matters, whether rich or poor, whether Christian, Muslim, or adherent of traditional religion,” he said and continued, “The failure to secure lives undermines the very foundation of our society. We must reject a situation where citizens begin to see violence as normal.”
The Nigerian Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in March 2001 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Lafia Catholic Diocese also addressed the growing temptation for communities to take matters into their own hands by launching reprisals.
He warned against retaliation, insisting that vengeance only creates cycles of violence.
“We cannot solve insecurity with more insecurity. Communities must resist the urge to retaliate, no matter how painful their losses are. Only through justice, dialogue, and accountability can we find a path to peace,” Archbishop Audu said.
He urged Christians to strengthen their trust in God and not to give in to fear or despair.
“Prayer is essential, but prayer does not exclude action. We must combine our faith with efforts to educate our people on vigilance, conflict resolution, and peaceful coexistence,” the Local Ordinary of Jos, since his installation in March 2020, said.
He noted that silence in the face of violence sends the wrong message that human life has lost value.
