‘Arms Won’t Save Us’: Bishop Kukah Warns Against Arming Civilians, Says Nigeria Has Hit “Rock Bottom” on Security

Nigeria’s foremost Catholic cleric, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese, has issued a stark warning to political leaders and security strategists: arming civilians in the name of self-defence will only deepen the nation’s crisis, not resolve it.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja during a national dialogue themed “A Whole-of-Society Approach to Prevention of Violence and Conflict in Northern Nigeria,” organised by the National Peace Committee, The Kukah Centre, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the bishop declared that Nigeria’s security breakdown cannot be fixed by distributing weapons to vulnerable communities.

Kukah argued that the popular push for localised self-defence initiatives—now gaining traction in many northern states—creates an illusion of safety, not genuine protection.

“We have too many underlying ailments as a nation — unstable homes, fragmented communities, weakened moral foundations,” Kukah said, according to Tribune newspaper. “These vulnerabilities create fertile ground for bandits and criminals.”

He questioned the long-term implications of saturating communities with arms, posing the unsettling question many leaders have avoided: “When peace returns, where will those weapons go?”

For Kukah, the idea that arming ordinary citizens can guarantee protection is not only misguided but fundamentally dangerous.

“Arms will not solve our problems. They offer a false sense of security,” he warned.

A Moral, Social, and Religious Crisis

Beyond the physical violence ravaging Nigeria’s northwest and north-central regions, Kukah said the country is battling a much deeper moral crisis. He argued that the nation’s erosion of community values, decline in social cohesion, and rising desperation have created an enabling environment for insecurity.

“As a Christian, it is not accidental that Jesus asked Peter to put back his sword,” he said, invoking scripture to underscore his rejection of ‘armed self-help’ as a path to national redemption. “God’s teachings do not change; circumstances may change, but the truth does not.”

He insisted that violence-driven solutions contradict both moral and religious principles, noting that communities cannot win peace through the barrel of a gun.

‘We Have Hit Rock Bottom’ — But There Is a Path Upwards

The Sokoto bishop did not mince words about the severity of Nigeria’s security collapse. Describing the situation as one of the worst in the nation’s post-independence history, he said:

“The nation has hit rock bottom. But the only direction now is upwards — if we choose unity over division, and courage over fear.”

He maintained that Nigeria cannot overcome extremism, banditry, and communal violence unless citizens unite across religious, ethnic and cultural lines.

“The nation can only overcome its security challenges when every citizen comes together to fight the common enemy,” he said. “Peace is not the responsibility of government alone.”

‘Peace Cannot Be Outsourced’ — Kukah’s Call for Shared Responsibility

Kukah emphasised that securing the nation requires a whole-of-society approach, meaning that every Nigerian—leaders and citizens alike—must take responsibility for rebuilding trust and repairing the fractures in the national fabric.

“Peace cannot be outsourced. Peace is the collective work of all of us,” he said.

He urged government officials to lead with “humility, transparency and justice,” stressing that without fairness and accountability, peace-building efforts will remain fragile.

Kukah also called on religious and traditional rulers to confront radicalisation and toxic rhetoric within their own communities.

“Every leader must speak truth to their own people,” he said.

Diversity as a Strength, Not a Burden

One of the central themes of Kukah’s message was the role of diversity in nation-building. He argued that Nigeria’s diversity should be seen as a source of strength rather than a weakness, pointing to the United States as an example of a multicultural society fortified—not weakened—by its differences.

“If diversity were a liability, America would not be what it is today,” he said.

‘Nigeria Is Worth Fighting For — But Not With Weapons’

Kukah described the Abuja dialogue not as a ceremonial gathering but as part of a long national journey toward healing, reconciliation, and lasting peace.

“We meet because we believe Nigeria is worth fighting for — not with weapons, but with truth, courage, justice and compassion,” he said. “Our gathering is meant to respond to the cries in our land, not to look for scapegoats or excuses.”

He called for deliberate inclusion of women—“the majority of the population”—in decision-making, noting that conflict resolution and peace-building have historically excluded their voices.

The Road Ahead

Kukah concluded with a message of hope and responsibility:

“Peace begins with individuals, families, communities and societies. If each of us seeks peace where we are, the nation will benefit. We must build trust. We must speak for the voiceless.”

He reiterated that restoring security will require Nigerians to rise above divisions that have long hindered national progress.

With banditry, terrorism, and criminal violence continuing to unsettle large swathes of the country, Kukah’s message serves as both a warning and a moral call to action—a reminder that, for Nigeria to move forward, the people must reject fear, reject weapons, and embrace unity as the only sustainable path to peace