He urged political leaders to act swiftly and decisively to address these issues before the situation escalates beyond repair.
Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has raised an urgent alarm about a potential national crisis, pointing to the alarming rise in youth unemployment and growing public disillusionment with the government as key factors that could trigger widespread unrest and social instability across Nigeria.
Speaking at the opening of the CBCN plenary meeting in Abuja on Sunday, Archbishop Ugorji urged political leaders to act swiftly and decisively to address these issues before the situation escalates beyond repair. He painted a grim picture of the country’s worsening economic and social conditions, with a particular focus on the 53 percent youth unemployment rate, which he described as a “ticking time bomb.”
The Archbishop linked the surge in criminal activities—such as kidnapping, armed robbery, cybercrime, drug abuse, cultism, and ritual killings—to the harsh economic realities faced by millions of unemployed young Nigerians. He noted that many young people, desperate for a way out of their poverty, are increasingly turning to illicit means, including ritual killings and human sacrifice, in a misguided attempt to escape their circumstances.
“The situation is further exacerbated by mass layoffs and the collapse of businesses, all due to an increasingly hostile economic climate,” the Archbishop explained, underscoring the urgency for government intervention.
He called on all levels of government to take youth unemployment seriously, warning that unless there is a concerted, long-term effort to create jobs, the government will continue to lose the battle against rising insecurity and violent crime.
Archbishop Ugorji also raised concerns about the nation’s deteriorating security and prison system, noting that the 2019 Nigerian Correctional Services Act, which was meant to overhaul the prison system and emphasize inmate rehabilitation, has failed due to poor implementation.
“The government must rise above these challenges and provide the necessary solutions,” he urged, stressing that urgent action is needed to prevent further deterioration of the country’s social fabric.
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