Due to unabated killing of Christians by Boko Haram insurgents and herdsmen, The Catholic Bishops’ conference of Nigeria (CBCN) declared this year’s Ash Wednesday a day of mourning for Christians killed by Boko Haram insurgents across the country.
In Christendom, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving for Christians in preparation for Easter celebration, but this year’s Ash Wednesday took a new turn as the Catholic Bishops in Nigeria declared the day a day of mourning for Christians who had been killed by Boko Haram insurgents and insecurity in the country, hence, Catholics dressed in black to mourn Christians killed by Boko Haram insurgents.
In a statement by the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Most Reverend Augustine Akubueze, he stressed that the level of insecurity in Nigeria today is such that most Nigerians now live in fear. He noted that with the repeated cases of barbaric executions and kidnappings of Christians by Boko Haram insurgents, justice had not been attained for them.
While enjoining Christians to pray for the deceased Christians and for peace and security in Nigeria, he also called on government to intervene in the matter adding that “aware of our moral responsibility, may we, once again, remind all the arms of Government in Nigeria and all whose responsibility it is to protect Nigerians that without security there can be no peace and without peace there can be no development or national growth. We therefore appeal to the Government to immediately put a stop to this unprecedented wave of violence and brutality aimed particularly at Christians.” 
He also demanded for the arrest and prosecution of “all those behind these senseless killings that sow the dangerous seeds of hate and distrust among various segments of the Nigerian society.”
Archbishop Akubueze further appealed to the international community to aid the Nigerian government in the fight against the terrorists who threaten the destabilisation of the country.
