The Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto Bishop Matthew Kukah yesterday bemoaned the “sufferings and afflictions that have befallen our country”, appealing to President Bola Tinubu “to bring us down from this cross of evil”.

In his Easter message yesterday, he decried the hunger, sickness and desolation stalking the land, saying “the nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue, Mr. President”.

Kukah said: “These sufferings have been marked by a culture of brutality and savagery never witnessed in the history of our dear country.

“Taken together, they have placed our country outside the purveyor of human civilization. “Across the entire country, every day, innocent citizens are kidnapped and held under the most inhuman conditions.

A dark pall of death hangs languidly from North to South. “It is impossible to find a home, a family, or a community that has not been caught in the cusp of this savagery.

“Now, Mr. President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. “The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue. Mr. President, with a greater sense of urgency, hastened to bring us down from this cross of evil.

“Mr. President, we all admit that you neither erected this cross nor did you affect our collective crucifixion. “Notwithstanding, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long.

“A culture of cynicism and self-doubt over our capacity to secure peace for ourselves pervades our land. Indeed, a majority of our citizens feel that there is no hope in sight.” He added: “Mr. President, renew our hope by bringing us down from this cross of brutality and suffering.”