Rev. Fr. Justine Dyikuk, a Catholic Priest has tasked religious leaders to do their best in tackling issues affecting their faith, especially articulating the depth of Christian persecution in the country. Fr. Dyikuk gave the charge while presenting a paper, entitled, “Contending with media safety and privacy in tackling global terrorism in Africa”, at Glasgow Caledonian University Scotland. According to Fr. Dyikuk, a researcher on insurgency, the Church in Nigeria needs Priests, women and men Religious, Laity, including catechists, who can speak out courageously against persecution in Muslim-dominated parts of Nigeria where Christians are not allowed to worship freely. Fr. Dyikuk said the Church in Nigeria is not doing badly as the voice of the people, as he added that areas of improvement include, being articulate enough when Christians are targeted.
According to him, “Church leaders should talk immediately if they perceive any form of injustice, when there is targeted marginalisation of people in northern Nigeria, when Christians cannot buy land to build churches, when churches are destroyed and Christians cannot rebuild those churches because the Muslim communities will not allow them to.” The former Communications Director, Catholic Diocese of Bauchi, said that the Church in Nigeria, particularly, has a Directorate of Communication in every Diocese, which he said should be at the forefront of speaking on issues affecting Christians. He said the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) in every Diocese should rise to the occasion and defend Christians, adding that the JDPC is doing well in terms of giving intervention, reducing poverty, and deradicalising the minds of our young people who fought alongside the insurgents.
