Speaking against the backdrop of the challenges of the insecurity ravaging some parts of the country, and its impact, Bishop Kukah said the terrorists, bandits and other criminals are children produced by the society.
He described perpetrators of violence as products of failed systems and toxic politics.
“Whether we call them bandits, kidnappers or extremists, they are our children. They came out of our own loins.
“Our children are our future,” Kukah said.
As a remedy, Kukah called for serious investment in education and moral renewal, warning that otherwise, Nigeria risks further descent into chaos.
“We must either renovate, educate or perish,” he declared.
The clergyman also expressed deep concern over the plight of children globally and in Nigeria, saying the innocent children are the ones paying the highest price for the dysfunctional system.
He lamented that innocent children are exposed to societal ills such as kidnapping, abuse, forced labour and early marriage, which are all beyond their control.
He referenced the abduction of schoolchildren in places such as Chibok, Dapchi, Maga and Papiri, noting that nearly 2,000 children have been affected by such crimes in Nigeria. The Bishop also mentioned cases from Gaza to Sudan on the international stage.