By Chioma Polok

The Catholic Bishop of Kastina-Ala Diocese, Isaac Bundepuun, has unveiled an unconventional approach to combating the scourge of banditry plaguing the region. In a bold declaration, Bishop Bundepuun asserted that the recitation of the Holy Rosary has proven to be more potent than the weapons wielded by criminals, challenging the prevailing narrative of violence with a powerful spiritual strategy.

“The Rosary is more powerful than the AK-47 rifles used by the bandits,” Bishop Bundepuunstated during the commemoration of the outgoing Executive Secretary of Caritas Nigeria, Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina at a thanksgiving Mass on Wednesday, 2 October.

This revelation comes in the wake of escalating insecurity and attacks that have disrupted the livelihoods of the populace, particularly in the agricultural sector.

According to ACI Africa, Bishop recounted how some of the members of the clergy in his Diocese encouraged him to dialogue with the criminals in the forest. “When I became Bishop, my people and Priests advised me to go into the forest, where the bandits and herdsmen are, and preach to them for conversion. But I told them I didn’t know the bandits. I had no history with them, and I wouldn’t know what to say to them”

The bishop sought for remedy to overcome the attacks and thought it wise that the spiritual strategy would be more effective. “I told them; let us carry our Holy Rosary. I knew that the Rosary was more powerful than the AK-47 rifles those guys in the bush were relying on. We began praying various decades of the Rosary, and now, the situation is changing” he assured.

In addition, the Bishop said that their prayers have brought some of the criminals out of hiding. “The once faceless boys are now known to us and just this morning, two of the notorious ones in the bush called me after I sent word that I wanted to meet with them. One of them even sent me a video.”

With the effectiveness of the spiritual efforts, the Diocese has worked in partnership with traditional leaders to find the root causes of the insecurity because the church cannot champion the cause alone.  

“While we are praying, we are also adopting practical strategies, one of which is involving traditional leaders, as they are closer to the people and understand the community dynamics. The bandits and kidnappers are often their sons, so it’s essential for the church to collaborate with traditional rulers in the fight” he added.

The Bishop also lamented that the insurgency has affected agriculture which is the primary source of livelihood in the dioceses, and the bandits have stopped to a large extent access to farmlands, there inflicting hardship not only in the state but also in the country as well.

“Insecurity has seriously hindered agricultural activities in my diocese, leading to reduced food supplies both in the market and in families. It has affected not just my diocese but the entire country. We are seeing food shortages because people are restricted from farming in many areas.

Finally, he encouraged the communal sharing of farmland and counselled traditional rulers to convince bandits to abandon their criminal undertakings.

“We continue to encourage families to share the little land they have with one another. We also call on traditional leaders to speak to their wards in the bush and encourage them to give up banditry and choose peace” Bishop Bundepuun appealed.

 Bishop Bundepuun’s innovative approach has not only yielded promising results but also underscores the pivotal role of faith and collaboration with traditional leaders in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by criminal activities.