CHURCH AND THE CHALLENGES OF INSECURITY AND MIGRATION IN NIGERIA
Nigeria is currently enmeshed in the crucible of affliction as she is being scourged by the twin challenges of insecurity and migration, which have stifled her socio-economic and political progress and made life generally difficult for her citizenry. It is regrettable as well as heartrending to note that these problems have persisted amid several containment efforts by governmental and non governmental agents in the country. The church in Nigeria has been responding significantly to these challenges in her own way as she sees them as the bane of Nigeria's national development striving. This paper takes a look at the church as a religious institution in Nigeria and surveys cases of insecurity in Nigeria. It also looks at the causes and effects of insecurity in Nigeria, Government containment measures to challenges of insecurity and the effects of insecurity in Nigeria. A concise examination of the church's response to insecurity and migration in Nigeria, and challenges facing the church in Nigeria. The paper adopts a combination of historical, sociological and phenomenological methods to achieve its objectives. Finally, it concludes by stressing the need for all churches to emphasize more on Christian values of peace, love, fear of God, respect for the dignity of human persons and contentment rather than prosperity, as a way of achieving security and reduction of migration in Nigeria. The paper recommends, among others, that government should work in synergy with the church in the current fight against insecurity and the attendant migration in Nigeria.
Keywords: challenges, church, insecurity, migration, nigeria