The Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, Most Rev. John Bakeni, has decried the untold carnage in the North-East, saying that thousands of people, including Christians and Muslims, have been killed in the prolonged insurgency and over 200 Catholic churches destroyed across the diocese.

Bakeni, who described the diocese as one of the most persecuted churches in Nigeria, said it had continued to survive despite years of violence, destruction, displacement and attacks on communities.

He spoke during a thanksgiving mass concelebrated with the Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, at the St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo, as part of activities for the ongoing plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in Osun State.

Commemorating the martyrdom of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, who were remembered for their steadfastness and sacrifice for the Christian faith, Bakeni urged the faithful to draw lessons from the lives of the two martyrs, particularly their courage in remaining committed to their faith despite persecution and threats to their lives.

He urged Catholics to examine whether their lives truly reflect the faith they profess, warning that a person could occupy a leadership position in the church and still fail the fundamental demands of Christianity if such an individual continues to harbour grudges, jealousy and hatred against others.