NRO Backs Catholic Bishops, Urges Tinubu Government to Act on Nigeria’s Worsening Crisis

The Northern Reform Organisation (NRO) has thrown its weight behind the recent intervention by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria on the worsening socio-economic and security situation in the country, describing their concerns as a courageous and patriotic call for urgent national action.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Gidado Mukhtar, the organisation commended the Catholic Bishops for speaking openly about the challenges confronting Nigerians, saying their intervention demonstrated “exemplary moral leadership” and a strong sense of national responsibility.

The NRO said the Bishops’ position transcends partisan, religious and sectional interests, arguing that their concerns reflect the everyday realities faced by millions of Nigerians.

According to the organisation, the issues highlighted by the Catholic Bishops including widespread economic hardship, insecurity, governance challenges and declining public confidence in government institutions require serious attention rather than political dismissal.

“The Northern Reform Organisation fully associates itself with the concerns expressed by the Catholic Bishops and endorses their call for urgent national introspection and corrective action,” the statement said.

The group urged Nigerians, civil society organisations, professional associations and other patriotic stakeholders to support what it described as an important national call for reflection and reform.

It stressed that addressing the country’s current difficulties requires collective responsibility, honesty, courage and constructive engagement among government and citizens.

The NRO also called on the Federal Government to take a critical look at the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops and recognise the depth of the challenges confronting the country beyond what it described as overly reassuring narratives sometimes presented through official channels.

“Genuine leadership requires not only acknowledging inconvenient truths and uncomfortable realities, but also responding to them with sincerity, transparency, urgency and decisive policy action,” the organisation said.

The group maintained that Nigeria is at a critical point in its history and urged the government not to interpret the Bishops’ intervention as criticism for its own sake.

Rather, it described the intervention as a timely and patriotic contribution to the national conversation aimed at finding practical solutions to the country’s problems.

The NRO expressed hope that the Bishops’ intervention would trigger meaningful reforms capable of restoring public trust and strengthening democratic governance, equity and justice.

It further called for policies that would place Nigeria on a sustainable path towards economic recovery, national renewal and shared prosperity, in line with the promises made during the 2023 presidential campaign.