Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah has warned that the persistent violence across Northern Nigeria is not a random occurrence but a manifestation of deeper governance and societal failures that must be confronted with honesty, unity and responsibility.
Zig Diaries Peacebuilding
Date: Thursday 27 November 2025
Time: 13:00 WAT
Location: 📍 Abuja, Nigeria
Speaking at the National Peace Committee dialogue in Abuja, held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, he said the country can no longer afford denial or indifference.
He stated that the wounds
of conflict remain fresh in communities across the country and that citizens
continue to cry out for protection from the state. The Bishop noted that
Nigeria’s diversity should be a blessing but is often manipulated by those who
weaponise identity for division and control.
He emphasised that
violence in the North cannot be reduced to a single cause and urged national
actors to acknowledge the complex layers feeding the crisis. He said issues
such as poverty, exclusion, criminal opportunism, environmental pressures and
ideological extremism must all be addressed together.
"It is a tapestry of
poverty, exclusion, historical wounds, environmental crises, criminal
opportunism and religious and ideological manipulation. Those who kill in the
name of God do not know God. Those who destroy in the name of justice betray
justice."
Kukah stressed that
security agencies cannot shoulder the burden alone because peace cannot be
delivered by force or fear. He said trust has broken down between citizens and
institutions, and rebuilding it requires participation from every segment of
society.
He noted that for
decades, the National Peace Committee has insisted that sustainable peace is
only possible when government, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil
society, women and youth work together in harmony, not in isolation or
competition. According to him, a whole-of-society approach demands humility
from government, courage from religious leaders, mobilisation by civil society
and equal inclusion for women and young people.
The Bishop stressed that
peacebuilding must also start with acknowledging difficult truths. He stated
that some attacks across the country are clearly driven by extremist ideology
and that naming this reality honestly is essential for rebuilding trust.
However, he emphasised that such acknowledgment should unite communities, not
polarise them.
He concluded that trust
is the most broken element in Nigeria today and must be restored from the
ground up. He called on traditional rulers, imams, pastors, women groups and
youth networks to take their rightful place as the first line of defence in their
communities, while urging government to work beside them in partnership, not in
distance or dominance.
🏷️ Tags: Peacebuilding, Northern
Nigeria, Matthew Kukah, National Peace Committee, Security
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