Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah
Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has challenged Nigerians to rise above divisions of region and religion and see every life lost to insecurity as a collective national tragedy.
Speaking at the Holy Family Cathedral, Sokoto, during his annual Christmas message, Bishop Kukah said the true measure of the country’s pain should not be which group is most affected, but the simple and painful fact that innocent lives are being lost.
He acknowledged that the protection of lives and property remains the constitutional duty of government, but urged citizens not to abandon the spiritual dimension of the struggle against insecurity. Drawing from scripture, he reminded worshippers that the biblical Wall of Jericho fell not by military might, but through faith and obedience.
While stressing that security of life, property and freedom defines a true nation, Kukah expressed hope that Nigeria’s ordeal will not last forever. “This evil in Nigeria will surely come to an end. Let’s use the season of Christmas to remember the millions of our brethren scattered in IDP camps, kidnapped and trapped in the forests,” he said.
The bishop titled his 2025 Christmas message “Joy and Hope in a Time of Tribulation.”
He noted that although Christmas is a season of joy across the world, Nigeria remains trapped in grief and fear due to persistent violence and insecurity.
“In the midst of the darkness of our circumstances, we strongly urge our leaders to strengthen their resolve towards ameliorating the sufferings that challenge our faith,” Kukah said.
“We may not have enough to feed the greed of our elite, but there is enough to feed our people.”
Describing Christ as the foundation of Christian faith, the bishop warned against despair despite repeated setbacks.
“Christ remains the cornerstone of our faith. It is tempting for us to grow weary and despondent due to these circumstances. Over a long time, we have become inconsolable, helplessly watching our communities torn apart by violence,” he said.
He recalled that even the birth of Jesus was surrounded by violence, noting that hardship and persecution are not new to Christianity. “Jesus was born in poverty. Fearful for his throne, Herod ordered the killing of all children born around this same time,” Kukah said.
He added, “We Christians are no strangers to violent persecution. Christianity was born during one of the harshest periods of the Roman Empire. Yet, through time, we Christians have seen the backs of empires and emperors.”
Turning attention to children affected by violence worldwide, Kukah lamented that brutality continues to stalk innocent lives. “Christmas is a good time to remind ourselves that violence still stalks the cribs where innocent children lie today. From Gaza to Sudan, children are being exposed to violence that threatens their innocence and childhood,” he said.
Speaking specifically about Nigeria, he recalled the unresolved tragedies of the Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls.
“We think of the Dapchi and Chibok girls whose fate now seems to have become a distant echo. Their fate is sealed by the official complicity of a negligent state,” Kukah stated, adding that thousands of Nigerian children remain exposed to early marriage, slavery and abuse.
“These children are our future.”
Despite the grim realities, the bishop expressed strong optimism that Nigeria can overcome its challenges if citizens act collectively.
“In all this, we Nigerians must renew our belief that we can win this battle against the evil in our land. This is a battle for our soul as a people and a nation. We cannot outsource its solution,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to draw strength from shared humanity and faith.
“We have buried our dead together. We have mourned together. We must hold together in darkness so we can welcome the light together,” Kukah said, cautioning against responding to violence with violence.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s past, Kukah attributed the current crisis to years of selfish politics and moral decay.
“The men of evil that have descended among us are the product of our toxic politics of selfishness and greed for power,” he said.
He added that the perpetrators of violence are not outsiders.
“Whether we choose to call them bandits, kidnappers, jihadists or herdsmen, all we know is that these men and women of violence are our children. They have come out of our own loins,” Kukah noted.
According to him, poverty, illiteracy and miseducation—particularly in northern Nigeria—have fueled the crisis.
“The message is simple: we must either renovate, educate or perish. We must choose the light of knowledge and abandon the darkness of ignorance. We must hold ourselves to higher moral codes,” the bishop concluded.
