The Catholic Bishops of the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have called on the Federal Government to implement the new tax law with fairness, transparency and compassion, urging authorities to give the policy a “human face,” especially for the most vulnerable Nigerians.
The bishops made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of their first meeting of 2026, held in Ibadan on Tuesday. The communiqué was signed by the Chairman of the Province and Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan, Most Rev. Gabriel Leke Abegunrin, and the Secretary, Most Rev. John Akin Oyejola, Bishop of Osogbo Diocese. It was read on behalf of the bishops by Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo.
The bishops, drawn from Ibadan Archdiocese and the dioceses of Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo, noted that the tax reforms had generated widespread controversy despite government efforts to explain their benefits. They warned that misinformation had further heightened public anxiety.
They urged the government to allow citizens, particularly the poor and less-privileged, time to adjust to the new tax regime before enforcing it fully, stressing that fairness, transparency and accountability must guide the process.
On security, the clerics expressed support for what they described as a renewed and more zealous approach by the government to tackling insecurity, noting that recent developments showed that insecurity could be curtailed with sufficient political will.
They called on governments at all levels to sustain the momentum through decisive policies, collaboration with local and international partners, adequate funding and equipping of security agencies, and continuous public education.
The bishops also urged federal, state and local authorities to be united in criminalising and prosecuting banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other forms of criminality, insisting that equal application of the law without fear or favour was essential.
They appealed to all Nigerians to unite in restoring peace and security across the country, regardless of religion, ethnicity or status, stressing that all human life is sacred and must be protected.