Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto and Founder, Kukah Centre, has said over 12,000 citizens have lost their lives to insecurity in North-West Nigeria over the past decade.

The Cleric also states that 76% of abductions which occurs in Northern Nigeria, occurs in the North-West region of the country.

Speaking at the second edition of the North-West Regional Conference on Women, Peace and Security held in Abuja on Monday, the Cleric also stated that 76% of abductions which occurred in Northern Nigeria, occurred in the North-West region of the country.

BusinessDay reports that the North-West Regional Conference was organised by Global Rights Nigeria, with the theme’ Sustaining Inclusive Peacebuilding Processes in Northwest, Nigeria, partnering The Kukah Centre, Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative and Community Dialogue Committee and supported by the UK Aid.

Bishop Kukah said “We are told that in the North West alone over 4,500 incidences were recorded in Northern Nigeria, abductions, kidnappings. Over 12,000 people, men, women, children, have lost their lives.

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“76% of the abductions that are taking place are taking place in the North West as abductions keep overlapping”.

Emphasising the need for collective action to address the crisis, promote human rights, and restore dignity to affected communities, Kukah noted that the region had become a hotbed of crimes, stressing the importance of women’s empowerment and community resilience in the face of adversity.

“I want to thank Global Rights for focusing on what has become the greatest threats to human existence, namely the gradual, persistent diminution of the lives of citizens across the world. We are no longer dealing with the atrocities committed by Boko Haram and other organizations, but we are now seeing the collapse of the global order”, he noted.

He urged communities to develop a greater sense of urgency in addressing insecurity, disregarding religious and political differences

The Bishop said the advocacy particularly focuses on women, largely because tragically the world is being dragged into having a conversation about the civic and economic importance and the urgency of taking women very seriously, stressing that human beings will have no civilization without a significant role and place for women.

“Many of our people are in a very bad culture of completely dominant practices, and many of these bad practices, in human practices, are coming through the back door of religion. We have to put them behind us because the world is increasingly appreciating the fact that we are putting capacity on the ability of women to multitask”, he added.