Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBNC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over the recent killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the country.

The CBCN made the call in a communique signed by its President, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, and Secretary, Most Rev. Camillus Umoh, on Thursday evening.

More than 19 persons, including two priests, were killed by suspected herdsmen in separate attacks on Gwer East and Guma areas of the state on Tuesday.
 
The armed men reportedly stormed the St. Ignatius’ Catholic Church during an early morning mass, killing the priests and others members.

“When will this barbarism end?” the bishops condemned the increasing attacks by the suspected herdsmen, whom they said had turned Nigeria into a massive graveyard.

They also described the killing of the priests and parishioners in the Gwer East as a dastardly act that was “carefully planned.”

The communique read in part, “That our two priests, Fr. Joseph Gor and Fr. Felix Tyolaha, along with their parishioners were waylaid in the course of the celebration of the Holy Mass early in the morning, suggests very clearly that their murder was carefully planned. This wicked act cannot be said to be a revenge attack (as is often claimed).

“Whom have these priests attacked? Indeed, we have just discovered that on January 3, this year, Fr. Gor tweeted, ‘We are living in fear. The Fulani are still around here in Mbalom (where they (priests) were killed). They refuse to go. They still go grazing around. No weapons to defend ourselves.’

“Their desperate cries for security and help went unheeded by those who should have heard them. They could have fled but, true to their vocation, they remained to continue to serve their God unto death.”