The Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Prof. Samuel Ike, on Thursday, raised concern over the level of insecurity in Nigeria, questioning what became of the government’s past efforts to stem the tide.
Bishop Ike raised the concern while delivering his 2026 Easter message at the Bishop’s Court.
He expressed worry over the level of suffering being faced by Nigerians, which had further worsened by the rising fuel price.
He then charged the country to embrace “national repentance.”
The Bishop, citing the country’s ranking as the fourth most terrorised nation globally in the recent Global Terrorism Index report, queried:
“Our posers and plea to our government, especially the presidency, are for the umpeenth time: where are the much touted digital and drone intelligence and the high cost Tucano jets?
“What has become of the creation of state police, as adopted?
“Why the frantic lobbying efforts and humongous amounts in dollars being spent in Washington and London, to change the narrative, push out propaganda and suppress and deny the reality of more active engagement of America and Trump’s government in frontally solving this existential threat of terrorism, insurgency and Christian genocide in our dear nation?”.
He lamented the continued loss of lives through terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, stressing that such bloodshed runs contrary to the sacrificial love exemplified by Jesus Christ.
“The incessant shedding of human blood and wanton destruction of lives is unacceptable. The sacrifice of Christ teaches compassion, love, and peaceful coexistence,” he said.
On the economic front, Bishop Ike bemoaned the sharp rise in fuel prices, noting that petrol currently sells between N1,350 and N1,410 per litre, while diesel is about N1,820 per litre.
He linked the surge to the ongoing Middle East conflict but questioned the state of Nigeria’s refineries despite huge investments in their rehabilitation.
“Where are our functional refineries? What has become of the funds committed to their turnaround?” He queried.
Delivering a message of hope, the cleric called on Nigerians to embrace the virtues of love, sacrifice, humility, and selfless leadership as exemplified during the Holy Week.
He explained that the season starting from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to Easter Sunday represents the core of the Christian faith, culminating in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
According to him, the resurrection is a powerful symbol of victory over suffering, sin, and death, offering hope for personal and national transformation.
He urged leaders at all levels to adopt servant leadership, promote unity across ethnic and social divides, and prioritise the welfare of the poor and vulnerable.
“The message of Easter is clear, through sacrifice, love, and faith, we can overcome even the darkest challenges as individuals and as a nation,” he added.
The Bishop concluded with a call for peace, urging Nigerians to surrender to God, embrace tolerance, and work collectively toward rebuilding the country.
According to him, “the object lesson for all of us in Nigeria today of this Supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ is that instead of the incessant shedding of human blood, wanton and unncesseray sacrifice of lives by terrorim, banditry, ritual killings and kidnapping, and for the world in the current on-going Middle East war, with waste of precious lives and resources, is that we can embrace lasting peace by surrendering our lives to the Lordship of Him who has paid the supreme price for our redemption, liberty, tolerance and peaceful and mutual existence.”
