Nigerian bishops decry attacks on schools by Boko Haram, others

March 18, 2014

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria met in Abuja, the nation’s capital, from March 8 to 14 and issued a statement in which they lamented “the invasion of the education space by corruption and misappropriation of public funds,” called for the respect of the principle of subsidiarity in education, and urged state governments to return schools to their original owners.

In their statement, the bishops also decried attacks on schools by the Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram and by members of the largely Muslim Fulani tribe.

“The mindless massacre of innocent students right in their schools in the North Eastern States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe is a very painful case,” the bishops said. “Despite the efforts of security agencies, life and property in Nigeria are still exposed to people of wicked intentions.”

“We ask the government to investigate escalating conflicts between cattle-rearers and indigenous communities in all the States of the North and the Middle Belt with a view to finding lasting solutions for peace and reconciliation,” the bishops added. “It needs to assist victims of the Boko-Haram insurgency, and of the murderous Herdsmen.”

 

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Further information:

• Church And State Partnership In The Provision Of Quality Education (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria)