Northern group backs Catholic Bishops’ warning over hardship

The Northern Reform Organisation  has said it aligns with the views of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria’s call for urgent national reflection and decisive action, warning that the worsening economic hardship, insecurity and declining public confidence in government require immediate attention.

This view was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the NRO, Gidado Mukhtar, and made available to journalists in Kano on Monday.

In the statement, the organisation commended the Catholic Bishops for speaking openly about the challenges facing the country.

Mukhtar said the Bishops had demonstrated courage and patriotism by publicly addressing the worsening conditions across different sectors of the Nigerian society, particularly the hardship being experienced by ordinary citizens.

According to him, the decision of the Catholic Bishops to speak candidly on the situation, rather than limiting their concerns to private discussions with government officials, showed “exemplary moral leadership and a profound sense of national responsibility.”

The NRO chairman said the Bishops’ intervention should not be interpreted through partisan or sectional interests, stressing that their concerns reflected a genuine desire for the welfare of Nigerians, national unity and the long-term stability of the country.

“We fully associate ourselves with the concerns expressed by the Catholic Bishops and endorse their call for urgent national introspection and corrective action,” Mukhtar said.

He identified widespread economic hardship, growing insecurity, governance shortcomings and declining public confidence in state institutions as some of the major issues that must be urgently addressed by the government.

Furthermore, the NRO noted that “the challenges highlighted by the Bishops were not abstract political arguments but realities being experienced daily by millions of Nigerians,” urging the government not to dismiss them or reduce them to political interpretations.

It also called on civil society organisations, professional bodies, patriotic individuals and other stakeholders to support the Bishops’ intervention and contribute constructively to the search for solutions to the country’s challenges.

“The task of rescuing Nigeria from its present challenges is a collective responsibility that demands honesty, courage and constructive engagement,” the NRO chairman remarked.

Mukhtar further urged the federal government to reflect deeply on the issues raised by the Catholic Bishops and understand the actual depth of the difficulties confronting Nigerians beyond the reassuring narratives often presented through official channels.

The organisation argued that genuine leadership requires governments to confront uncomfortable realities, rather than simply acknowledge them, saying such realities must be met with sincerity, transparency, urgency and decisive policy action.

“Nigeria stands at a critical moment in its history, and the concerns expressed by the Catholic Bishops should not be viewed as criticism for its own sake,” Mukhtar said, describing their intervention as a timely and patriotic contribution to the national conversation.

The NRO chairman expressed hope that the Bishops’ intervention would encourage meaningful reforms capable of restoring public trust and strengthening democratic governance, equity and justice, while putting Nigeria on the path of recovery, national renewal and shared prosperity.