The rising level of insecurity, especially in the Middle Belt locations like Plateau, Benue states, including some parts of Southern Kaduna, has prompted Christians in Northern Nigeria, under the aegis of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), northern chapter, to call for a thorough investigation of the financiers of terror in the region.
They warned that insecurity will persist unless those funding violent crimes are exposed and punished.
In its Christmas message issued by Reverend Joseph John Hayab, its chairman, the body said the federal government must move beyond rhetoric and confront the root drivers of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across the country.
The association stated that Nigeria “cannot continue to bleed under the weight of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping,” stressing that national renewal is impossible without justice and accountability.
Calling for decisive action, Northern CAN urged the government to identify those backing violent groups, insisting that peace will remain unattainable while terror financiers operate freely.
It said the Christmas season should serve as a moral wake-up call, noting that it offers Nigerians “an opportunity for sober reflection on the moral conscience of the nation and the social direction of our country.”
According to the statement, “Christmas calls the nation to peace, justice, compassion and respect for the sanctity of human life,” adding that “a just and secure society is built on moral courage, compassion and collective responsibility.”
Northern CAN lamented the impact of unchecked violence on citizens, stating that “the continued existence of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping has caused immense pain to individuals, families and communities, leaving scars that many may never fully recover from.”
While acknowledging the efforts of security agencies, the association stressed that such sacrifices would be undermined if the financial backers of terror groups are not held accountable.
It, however, welcomed the federal government’s recent move to classify kidnappers, bandits and violent criminal groups as terrorists, describing it as a step that “strengthens the national security framework and demonstrates a firm commitment to confronting insecurity with the seriousness it demands.”
Northern CAN urged leaders to match words with action, emphasising that justice, peace and national unity depend on confronting not only the perpetrators of violence, but also those who fund and sustain them.
