The Catholic Bishops of the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have condemned the reintegration of repentant bandits into society and security structures, describing the policy as a distortion of justice and an insult to victims of violent crimes across the country.

The bishops also called for the immediate release of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from three schools in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, more than a month ago.

The clerics made their position known in a statement jointly signed by the President of the Province, Most Rev. Gabriel Leke Abegunrin, and its Secretary, Most Rev. Anselm Lawani, and read by the Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo.

They expressed concern that while victims of kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes continue to endure pain, trauma and uncertainty, government authorities appear more interested in rehabilitating and reintegrating perpetrators into society.

According to the bishops, such an approach weakens public confidence in the justice system and sends the wrong message to law-abiding citizens.

“The ongoing reintegration of so-called repentant bandits into security agencies and society, while victims of crime and their relatives are neglected or treated with disdain, rubs dirt on the face of justice,” they said.

The bishops maintained that genuine justice demands accountability, insisting that those responsible for kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes should face the full weight of the law rather than benefit from rehabilitation programmes without adequate restitution.

They warned that failure to hold offenders accountable could embolden criminal elements and undermine ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.

The church leaders linked their concerns to the prolonged captivity of the Oriire schoolchildren and teachers, noting that the incident underscored the vulnerability of ordinary citizens amid worsening security challenges.
They urged both the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the abductees and strengthen measures aimed at protecting lives and property.

The bishops advocated far-reaching security reforms, including improved intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance of forests and ungoverned spaces, deployment of modern security technology and the establishment of state police.

According to them, state policing, backed by appropriate safeguards and oversight mechanisms, would improve community-based intelligence gathering, enable faster responses to security threats and strengthen collaboration between security agencies and local residents.

They argued that Nigeria’s diverse security challenges require decentralised approaches capable of addressing peculiar threats in different regions.

The clerics stressed that sustainable peace, national healing and unity can only be achieved where justice, accountability and support for victims are prioritised.

They called on governments at all levels to ensure that perpetrators of kidnapping, banditry and terrorism are prosecuted in accordance with the law, while adequate support is provided for victims and their families.

The bishops also urged Nigerians to continue praying for the safe return of the Oriire abductees and other victims of insecurity across the country.