The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Martins has urged all Nigerians to seek divine guidance to ensure peace in 2023, as well as make the year chaos and anarchy free.
He also call for urgent police reforms, saying inhuman atrocities by law enforcement agencies should not be tolerated in Nigeria.
The Archbishop noted that peace remains crucial and inevitable if the country hoped to become one of the most peaceful and fastest developing economies in the world.
In the homily he delivered at the 2023 New Year Mass which was also used to celebrate the 56th World Day of Peace held at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, the prelate thanked God for the New Year and urged all Nigerians to play active roles in the forthcoming general election by ensuring that they vote in only God-fearing leaders.
He said, “We need peace in Nigeria this 2023. Without peace, the forthcoming general elections would be a task in futility. I know many parts of the country are witnessing so much insecurity. That is why our security agencies must work round-the-clock to secure all parts of the country and ensure that all the criminal elements are brought to book.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged that he will ensure that we have credible elections, but he cannot do it all alone. We must all play our part by ensuring that we come out to vote for the right candidates and also make sure our votes count. That is a way of ensuring that our elections would be credible.”
On the shooting of a lawyer, Mrs Bolanle Raheem, by a policeman on Christmas Day, the Archbishop said it was very sad that the police officer not only killed the deceased but also her two unborn babies.
“There is the need urgent police reforms; such inhuman atrocities perpetuated by some men of the police force should no more be tolerated in a civilized society like Nigeria,” he added.
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