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Chibok Girls: All Nigerians In Bondage, Kukah Laments
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, yesterday said that the fate of the over 200 girls, who were abducted nearly six months ago by the Boko Haram insurgents, would define the future of the country.
Bishop Kukah, who disclosed this at the thanksgiving mass to mark the 80th birthday of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, described the continuous captivity of the girls, whose whereabouts were still unknown, as the metaphorical “bondage” of Nigeria.
He said, “Any man who attends a wedding ceremony, any man who gives out his daughter in marriage, any man who goes to the graduation of his daughter must pause and think about the Chibok girls who are still in captivity.
“These girls and their fate remain a metaphor for defining the future of our country. They are the future that we are dreaming about and their bondage is metaphorically the bondage of our people.”
He frowned at the unguarded display of wealth by some privileged Nigerians, many of whom he said were in possession of “unearned income stolen from our commonwealth.”
The Bishop lamented that, in spite of the huge resources in the country, peace had become scarce in many parts of the country, especially in the North-East.
While commending the celebrant for his numerous contributions to the development of the country, Kuka charged privileged Nigerians on the need to shun acts of disservice to humanity, as they make use of their wealthy.
Kuka said, “According to a CNN report last week, the ownership of private jets in our country has gone up by 650 per cent.
“We have been told by the chairman of the EFCC that many of these private jets have not been registered in Nigeria and that they are registered in foreign countries that are largely save havens and so, the sources of income cannot be traced nor can they be taxed for the things that they possess and yet, we have not only the ministries of foreign affairs but we also have bilateral relations with different countries.”
Kukah, who said that although there was nothing wrong with private jets, however, stated that “there is something intrinsically and existentially wrong with wealth in Nigeria” largely due to the dearth of peace in the country.
He said, “Boko Haram is now an army of occupation, which has taken over our Catholic churches, driven many from their homes and now holds our children in bondage. Can we continue to celebrate amidst all these?”
The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a Central Planning Committee to organize the celebration of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) in the State.
The committee was formally inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba in Port Harcourt, last Thursday.
Dr Anabraba who also serves as Chairman of the Committee
highlighted the State Government’s deep appreciation for the sacrifices of Nigeria’s fallen heroes who laid down their lives for the nation’s peace and unity.
“These heroes have given their lives for the security and peace of our nation and deserve to be celebrated. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an opportunity to show our gratitude for their sacrifice,” he said.
Dr. Anabraba further extended recognition to all Security Agencies in the State, emphasizing the importance of the event in appreciating their contributions to national security and sovereignty.
The annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day, observed on January 15 across the country is dedicated to remember Nigeria’s departed soldiers and honouring the nation’s veterans.
