CBCN sounds alarm on digital technology dangers - ITREALMS

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The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has raised concerns about the dangers of digital technology, highlighting the risks of pornography, cybercrime, and addiction, reports ITREALMS.

In a recent communique, the bishops called for aggressive media literacy programs in the Church and schools to educate people, especially youth, about responsible digital technology use.

CBCN Calls for national transformation, urges govt to address corruption, poor governance - ITREALMS

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The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has issued a communique at the end of their 2025 Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, calling on Nigerians to work towards authentic national transformation, reports ITREALMS.

The bishops emphasized the need for perseverance in Christian hope and working towards justice in the nation, stressing that hope does not disappoint.

40-yr after: Usman Dan Fodio, Bayero Universities deny Christains access to erect churches – CBCN

 ITRealms:

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has lamented that after 40 years, the two universities in the north have persistently denied Christian access to erect a worshiping place in their campuses, reports ITRealms.

This revelation was made by President of CBCN, Bishop Ignatius Kaigama when he led his administrative members on courtesy call to President Muhammadu Buhari at State House, Abuja.

“We bring to your notice that sad enough, Christians are still unable to erect places of worship in Federal Universities in the northern states,” the bishops said.

Pointing out that after 40 years, the aforementioned two universities, for example, have out-rightly denied Christians access to lands already in the plans for the erection of Churches, in spite of their being so many mosques built by the university authorities.

They also noted that in some northern states, “it is such a herculean task for Christians to obtain certificates of occupancy to build Churches in some northern States. We urge you to kindly encourage State governments to kindly enforce the freedom of religion enshrined in our Constitution.

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Nigerians are groaning, herdsmen on rampage – Catholic Bishops told Buhari

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The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has told President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians are groaning under the worsening hardship under his leadership in addition to Fulani herdsmen rampage has remain on unchecked, reports ITRealms.

Speaking through the President, Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria, and Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, said, the harsh economic situation in which Nigerians are living presently is being felt everywhere.

“In many States, workers are worrying about their monthly salaries, many pensioners are crying for many months for unpaid pensions, while so many self-employed and non-employed persons and family dependents are groaning for their daily meal,” he said.

However, commending Buhari for the bail-out funds to cushion this hardship in various states, CBCN urged him to ensure that these monies are used mainly to take care of salaries, pensions and their basic human needs.

They also decried the clashes between farmers and herdsmen in all zones of the country

CBCN cited for instance the Agatu killings, the Nimbo killings and many other killings in Benue, Taraba, Nassarawa, Ondo, Edo, Delta and elsewhere which should be seriously investigated, with the perpetrators unmasked and decisively dealt with.

“Our people cannot continue to live in perpetual fear of attacks by fellow Nigerians with criminal intent. Happily, we understand that you have ordered some investigations into the Agatu and Nimbo killings. For a more permanent peace between herdsmen and farmers in our country, some streamlining is necessary for the good of the cattle rearers in the North and for the welfare of farmers in the South and elsewhere in Nigeria,” they said.

Cattle ranches, the bishops said, should be created in states known for cattle breeding, with adequate water and fodder provided and nurtured, while farmlands for root crops and other plants should be protected for their specific products in states known for such.

This, they said, will reduce or eliminate clashes stemming from trespassing.

“We certainly need these two sectors to supplement our near-total dependence on oil. But the fact that armed attacks and wanton killings have become a national threat, it should be declared an insurgency and treated as such, with the aim of dislodging the insurgents from occupied communities by the security/military operatives,” CBCN said.

+Remmy Nweke 

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Curse on Igbos: Catholic Church cautions Oba Akiolu, insists Nigeria a Republic, not Monarchy

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The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has cautioned Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, over the threat he handed down to Igbos in Lagos, insisting that Nigeria is a republic and not a monarchy, reports ITRealms.

The Catholics through the office of the Executive Secretary Caritas Foundation Nigeria and Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, gave this note of warning in a press statement made available to ITRealms, raising credibility of the Oba for acting god.

While condemning the threat handed down by the Oba of Lagos to the Igbos in Lagos that they should vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, or else perish in the lagoon, Catholic Church advised the Monarch to withdraw his curse with immediate effect.

They noted that the Royal Father is "missing the point that Nigeria is a Republic and a Democracy and not a Monarchy."

According to Rev. Fr. Bassey, denounced Akiolu's comments which, saying such amounted to threat and intimidation of bonafide citizens of this country, Nigeria. Stressing that Lagos has grown into one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa for decades, and "any citizen contributing to its economy and politics can be a bonafide resident."

Further the Catholic Church wonder “why single out a particular ethnic group for this curse? Does it mean a Yoruba or Hausa person living in Lagos who votes for Jimi Agbaje will go scot-free but any Igbo who votes for Agbaje will drown in the Lagoon? Does it mean that people should vote out of fear and not their consciences? Would such an election be free and fair, where people have to vote out of intimidation?

This, Catholic Church said amounts to voters intimidation.

Listen to the hate speech threatening Igbos in Lagos by Oba Akiolu:

Chuks Egbuna +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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Catholic Bishops want Jega to probe denial of election observer ID

ITRealms:

Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to quickly probe its denial of the 2015 election observer identity cards, reports ITRealms.

The Bishops in a preliminary statement on the 2015 general elections, made available to ITRealms and endorsed by the duo of Chairman Church and Society, Bishop Lucius Ugorji of Umuahia Diocese and President of CBCN, Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos, noted the importance of the probe so as to note to spoil the good image of INEC.

“We call on the INEC chairman Prof Atahiru Jega to investigate what happened in order to not rubbish the good works he has put into building the credibility of INEC,” they said. 

The Bishops emphasized the fact that election observation by civil society organisations has the added value of enhancing the credibility and acceptability of election results.

According to the Bishops with regards to 2015 general elections, they received accreditation for Justic, Development and Peace Center (JDPC), under the auspices of Caritas Nigeria, which is it’s relief and development agency. 

The lamented that contrary to expectations, INEC could not fulfill its obligation of providing enough identity cards to all the approved list of observers, in spite of the extension of six weeks. 

For instance, they pointed that whereas in Lagos State the JDPC planned to deploy 697 observers, as already approved by INEC, the Commission could only provide 160 identity cards, and similarly shortchanged Abuja, Warri, Uyo, and towns in Benue. 

INEC, the Bishops said was not able to print any identity cards for Bauchi, Jalingo, Nsukka, Lafia, Kaduna, Kano; all this, after accrediting JDPC and approving 5189 number of observers. 

“INEC refused all entreaty to use alternative means of identification,” the Bishops Conference said.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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