Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese has offered a nuanced perspective on Nigeria's security situation, acknowledging signs of calm and a temporary lull in conflict.

Speaking in an interview with Arise News, Kukah, however, cautioned against complacency, pointing out that despite recent gains against insurgency and banditry, it would be unwise to declare the threat completely over, especially in light of President Bola Tinubu’s optimistic claims during Independence Day that Nigeria's security challenges are behind it.

The bishop emphasised the need for continued vigilance, warning that the nation remains in a delicate period that requires careful attention.

“Nobody can say the threat is over,” he declared. “We have entered a lull, and major progress has been made. There is a substantial sense of lull but not that insecurity is over. Only yesterday, a young Fulani boy who is still being held said he had to climb a tree to call me. Let’s appreciate the fact that we are in a fairly better place, but there is still a lot to be done.”

The Bishop stressed that insecurity in Nigeria is far more complex than the popular focus on guns and violence, describing it as the product of deeper structural decay. “What we are facing in insecurity is actually evidence of a rot that crept into this country over a pretty long period of time. It isn’t easy to think of what kind of road map we can create for the future.”

He explained, “We have not seriously understood the context of what we call banditry and insecurity. What we call insecurity is many narratives put together. It’s not just about guns and bullets. We have militarised the conversation, where we think of insecurity as the return of quietness after the shootings, but it is a much more complex phenomenon than that.”

The Bishop also called for collective responsibility, stressing that governance cannot be left solely in the hands of the government. “Wherever we find ourselves, governance is about mending, fixing and being on the road. We should collectively assign ourselves responsibilities. Let’s reduce pressure on just looking at the government. Let’s think of our personal responsibility. Governance is not what government does for us; they can only create opportunities for us in what we want to do,” he said.

ASA