The Catholic Bishop of Bauchi Diocese, Rev. Hilary Dachelem, says Nigeria is gradually collapsing due to the incompetence of her leaders.

Dachelem, who stated this in an interview with journalists at the Catholic Cathedral Bauchi on Wednesday, also lamented the rising spate of killings and kidnappings in the country.

He said, “This is certainly not the Nigeria we used to know when we were growing up, we are facing a different Nigeria. The Nigeria we used to know was free country and it was not as if there was no crime then but it was minimal and not at the alarming rate as it is now.

“There were pockets of issues but they were not too overwhelming. Those who were into crime and criminality were very insignificant compared to the entire number but now, I don’t know if majority of us are criminals, more or less.”

When asked whether the nation and its security apparatus was collapsing, the cleric said, “It is a nation that has collapsed. If it is not collapsing, let her handle the issues. Is your child among the Greenland University that was kidnapped? I am sure some have two children or even more, if your child is in the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, you will never ask me whether Nigeria is collapsing. Nigeria is collapsing, it is almost a nation in moribund with the way it is going.”

Dachelem, who blamed both the leaders and the followers for being responsible for the problems in Nigeria, however pointed out that 60 percent of the problems go to the leadership because of their “incompetence, laissez-faire attitude, neglect and levity”.

He also called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to immediately address youth unemployment and agitations by various groups across the country as a way out of the problems.

Punch