Date: 2018-05-23

FOLLOWING calls for nationwide solidarity, the prayerful/peaceful demonstration by Catholic Bishop conference over murdered Catholic faithful in Makurdi, Benue state recently, Catholic Bishop of Ilorin, Most Reverend Ayo-Maria Atoyebi, has called on federal government to find the lasting solution to senseless killings and bloodletting in the country.

Speaking when he led a peaceful protest in Ilorin on Tuesday, the cleric condemned the killings of church members as well as other innocent citizens in parts of the country, saying that government should rise up to her primary responsibility of protecting lives and property and bring killers of innocent people to justice.

"Federal and state government should work together for the interest of our citizens to check inhuman activities of the murderous gang by collecting their sophisticated weapons.

We call on the federal government to put an end to the lapses in the country's security apparatus and prevent an imminent ethnic, tribal or religious war", he said.

The protest, which started with prayers for the repose of the souls of dead ones, saw the Bishop praying for deliverance of Nigeria from insecurity challenges such as Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen terrorists, kidnappers, armed robbery gangs.

We call on the federal government to put an end to the lapses in the country's security apparatus and prevent an imminent ethnic, tribal or religious war", he said.

The protest, which started with prayers for the repose of the souls of dead ones, saw the Bishop praying for deliverance of Nigeria from insecurity challenges such as Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen terrorists, kidnappers, armed robbery gangs.

"As 2019 elections draw near, Nigerians and politicians should know that leadership is for service.

Those who are not ready to serve should not contest for positions of authority and they should not accept political appointment; if they do they will be doing the disservice to our nation as we are experiencing now.

Let good people participate in politics. Let there be equal opportunity for all Nigerians who have constitutional right to participate. There should be no financial constraint. I mean political parties should reduce the huge amount put in getting forms by candidates", he said.