Anglican Bishop of Western Izon Diocese of Ecclesiastical Province of Bendel, Rt Rev Victor Okporu, has lamented the current state of insecurity and indebtedness in the country, describing it as painful and crushing.
Speaking at St Barnabas Anglican Church, Sagbama, Bayelsa State, during the second session of the fifth synod of the diocese tagged: ‘Help From Above’, Okporu noted that the government had failed in its constitutional and fundamental responsibilities of protecting lives and properties of its citizens.
The cleric said: “The state of our dear country Nigeria is critically worrisome. What shall we say of the escalation of violence in the country and the gradual descent of our hitherto peaceful and progressive society into near anarchy.
“The mindless and vicious killings of innocent Nigerians by the killer herdsmen, bandit, Boko-Haram, terrorists of all kinds including, known and unknown gunmen.
“From the North to the South, East to the West, the story is the same sad lamentation of insecurity, economic woes, decadence in education, the corruption that is unequalled anywhere, nepotism, inequity at all levels, signposting bad governance and or failed state.
“Insecurity was a notable problem to the previous administrations in Nigeria, but the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in 2015 promised Nigerians that it would be terminated. But with barely nine months to the end of his eight years of two-term on the saddle, insecurity has sadly assumed a phenomenal dimension.
“It is quite alarming today that it has become a nightmare to travel by road in Nigeria today as such travels are at the risk of the undertaker because of bandits and kidnappers everywhere in the forest waiting for who to kidnap, not even the rail or air travellers are spared.
“What is more worrisome is that they are advancing daily in their menace with boldness and impunity and there appears to be no definitive effort by the government to checkmate them.
“Nigeria indebtedness is both worrisome and crushing and despite the fact that the government has always justified its propensity to borrowing by saying it is sustainable, this administration has borrowed more than any other in the history of Nigeria.
“A cursory look at the figures in the public domain indicates that danger is looming on the horizon and unless something drastic is done quickly, we are on the threshold of economic failure and by extension failure of the state.
“We thought the primary responsibility of the government is the protection of lives and properties of its citizens. Any government that fails to fulfill this mandate has failed in its constitutional and fundamental responsibilities because, in an insecure environment, no meaningful development can take place.
“We call on all Nigerians at every level especially those in positions to show commitment by avoiding corruption and abuse of power at whatever dimension it appears.”