President Bola Tinubu on Friday met with a delegation of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The delegation of the CBCN was led by its President and Catholic Bishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji alongside Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and the Bishop Emeritus of Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onayikan among others.
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The meeting was held behind closed doors and the agenda was not made public at the time of filing this report.
The meeting came on the heels of the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, by the United States where Christians are said to be targets of killing.
The United Congress reports had recently expressed concerns about religious freedom in Nigeria, leading to the country’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern in the past.
It will be recalled that in 2018 when former President Muhammadu Buhari visited the White House on an official visit, President Donald Trump had accused the Nigerian government of killing Christians and warned that he would never tolerate it.
Besides, the CBCN at its first plenary meeting of 2025 in Abuja, weekend, criticized the government on the state of the nation’s economy as well as the polity.
In his opening address, CBCN President Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji listed youth unemployment, insecurity, poverty, corruption, and electoral fraud as some of the ills plaguing the country and demanded quick action from leaders nationwide to stop the country from drifting.
However, in a reaction to the position of the Catholic Bishops on the economy and the polity, the Presidency said
“President Bola Tinubu deeply appreciates the constant interventions of the Catholic Bishops in matters of governance in our country.
“The Conference of Catholic Bishops’ patriotic fervour and commitment to national unity, peace, and stability are unassailable and deeply valued and respected by the government.”
The presidency also acknowledged that some of the governance challenges in the areas as highlighted by the Bishops remained, but also said that it was important to state categorically that the country has made tremendous progress in all areas since President Tinubu assumed office about 22 months ago.
It said: “In terms of insecurity, Nigeria is more secure today than it was in 2023, thanks to our military and other security agencies and the strong leadership provided by President Tinubu as the Commander-in-Chief.
“In the last two years, over 8000 criminals – bandits, armed robbers, Boko Haram terrorists, and kidnappers – have been eliminated, and over 10,000 Nigerians – primarily women and children have been rescued from their abductors.
“As a result of improved security in our communities, especially in the North-West and the North-East, farmers have returned to their farms, and our country has seen increased food production, which is currently driving down prices of essential commodities.
“Farmers in Kaduna, Kebbi and Jigawa are eloquent testimonies of the improved security ambience. Similarly, farmers growing cash crops in many parts of the country are experiencing a new life of boom and prosperity.
“On the economy, Tinubu’s administration has stabilised the economy from the precarious situation it inherited on assumption of office. Our balance of trade has improved, foreign reserves are in a stronger position, inflation has moderated, our currency is gaining strength against convertible currencies, local refining capacity has tremendously increased on the back of Dangote Refinery and NNPCL Refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri, going on stream.”
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