Catholic Bishops of Onitsha Province Declare Day of Fasting, Call for Nationwide Prayers to End Killings in Nigeria

Deeply alarmed by the rising tide of violence across Nigeria, the Catholic Bishops of the Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province have declared Friday, June 20, 2025, as a special day of prayer and fasting for peace, healing, and an end to the incessant bloodshed in the country.

In a strongly worded pastoral letter titled “Urgent Prayer Request to Stop Bloodshed in Nigeria,” the Bishops condemned the recent massacres in Yelwata, Benue State, and Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, describing the attacks as “inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of the sanctity and dignity of human life.”

The letter was jointly signed by Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha and Chairman of the Province, and Most Rev. Peter Chukwu, Bishop of Abakaliki and Secretary.

“We, the Catholic Bishops of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, condemn in the strongest terms the recent gruesome massacre of our fellow Nigerians in Benue State by so-called herdsmen on the night of Friday, June 13, 2025,” the letter reads.

“We are equally pained by credible reports of similar violent attacks in Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, on Sunday, June 15. This unrelenting wave of senseless killings has wounded the soul of our nation and plunged communities into fear and mourning.”

A Call for Action and Divine Intervention

The Bishops called on the Federal Government to rise to its constitutional duty of protecting citizens’ lives and property, stressing that justice and security are essential for peace and national unity.

They urged all Catholics, especially priests and religious men and women across Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi States, to observe the designated day with intense prayer, fasting, and Eucharistic celebrations.

“We call on all faithful to offer Holy Masses, pray the Rosary, and observe the Divine Office with the specific intention of ending the violence and honoring the souls of the victims,” the Bishops directed.

Quoting Psalm 121, the letter reads:

“We lift up our eyes to the hills—from where shall our help come? Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

The Bishops also entrusted the nation to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invoking her title as Queen of Peace and Queen of Nigeria to plead for divine intervention and healing.

A Return to God, Unity, and Justice

The Bishops concluded by urging Nigerians to seek renewal through prayer, reconciliation, and justice, noting that the country’s healing will only come through a return to God and a collective commitment to unity and human dignity.

“Our nation is bleeding. We must reject the culture of death and violence. Only through prayerful action, truth, and justice can we reclaim the peace we so desperately need,” the statement concluded.

Vanguard

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