By: Faith Chondol
Kaduna, August 4, 2026 — The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has thrown its weight behind Cardinal John Onaiyekan, condemning what it described as “unwarranted attacks” against the respected Catholic cleric following his comments on the worsening economic and security situation in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its National Spokesman, Luka Binniyat, the MBF expressed “total solidarity with His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan on his position about the endemic poverty in Nigeria today.”
“The MBF condemns the unwarranted attacks against him for speaking the truth about the harsh living conditions facing millions of Nigerians,” the statement said.
The Forum recalled that after the meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on July 24, 2026, the bishops “frankly told the President that many of his economic policies had deepened poverty, worsened hardship and failed to substantially improve the security situation across the country.”
It noted that although President Tinubu maintained that his reforms were producing positive results, Cardinal Onaiyekan later observed during an interview on Channels Television that the President “appeared not to be receiving accurate information from those around him and therefore did not fully appreciate the true situation confronting ordinary Nigerians.”
According to the MBF, rather than reflecting on the Cardinal’s observation, “some presidential aides and supporters, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, accused the respected cleric of playing politics.”
“The MBF believes those attacks are unfair, unnecessary and completely misplaced,” the statement declared.
Defending the former Archbishop of Abuja, the Forum said, “Cardinal Onaiyekan merely echoed what millions of Nigerians experience every day. He spoke neither as a politician nor as an opposition figure. The Cardinal spoke as a patriotic Nigerian and a respected religious leader who has consistently stood for justice, peace and the welfare of all citizens.”
The MBF said the situation was particularly severe in the Middle Belt, where communities had “endured years of relentless attacks by Islamist terrorists and armed Fulani ethnic militias.”
It maintained that “Tinubu’s government has not made noticeable improvement on the situation,” adding that “thousands of innocent people have been murdered, while millions of Nigerians remain internally displaced,” especially in Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Niger and Borno states.
The statement lamented that “entire villages have been destroyed, churches and schools burnt, and vast stretches of fertile farmland abandoned or occupied by terrorists.”
It added: “Farmers can no longer cultivate their land. Families have lost their homes, businesses and means of livelihood. Children have been forced out of school, while countless widows, orphans and elderly people now depend on humanitarian assistance simply to survive.”
While acknowledging “the courage and sacrifices of our gallant military and other security agencies,” the MBF said that “despite their commitment and bravery, the security crisis continues to deny millions of Nigerians the opportunity to live, farm, move without fear and conduct legitimate businesses in peace.”
Turning to the economy, the Forum argued that although the national minimum wage had risen from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, “its real value has declined sharply.”
It noted that the naira had depreciated from about ₦460 to one US dollar in 2022 to about ₦1,368 today, while Nigerians had witnessed “unprecedented increases in the prices of petrol, food, transportation, electricity, cooking gas, healthcare, school fees and other essential goods and services.”
“The important question therefore is this: Are Nigerians genuinely better off today than they were before these reforms?” the statement asked.
“For millions of struggling families, especially those displaced by terrorism and violent attacks across the Middle Belt, the answer is painfully obvious.”
The MBF urged President Tinubu to “welcome constructive criticism instead of allowing loyalists to attack every honest voice that points out the suffering of the people.”
It added: “Leaders become stronger when they listen to uncomfortable truths, not when they surround themselves with those who tell them only what they wish to hear.”
The Forum further called on the President to undertake “an independent assessment of the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians, particularly those who have lost everything to terrorism and violent attacks,” saying he should hear directly from “displaced farmers, widows, market women, unemployed youths and community leaders instead of relying solely on official briefings.”
“Their testimonies will present a clearer picture of the country’s realities than any prepared report,” it said.
The MBF concluded by reaffirming its support for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and Cardinal Onaiyekan.
“Speaking the truth about poverty, insecurity and human suffering is not politics. We believe that it is a constitutional right, a moral obligation and a patriotic duty that the CBCN owes its laity and every suffering citizen,” the statement said.
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