Christmas 2025: Bishop Mamza calls for peace, reconciliation, improved security
The Bishop of Yola Diocese, Most Rev. Stephen Dami Mamza, has urged Christians and Nigerians at large to use the 2025 Christmas celebration as a period of deep reflection, reconciliation and renewed commitment to peaceful coexistence, while also calling on government to intensify efforts at securing lives and property across the country.
Speaking in an interview on Christmas Day, Bishop Mamza thanked God for the gift of Christmas, describing the birth of Jesus Christ as the ultimate expression of God’s love for humanity.
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He noted that Christmas should not only be marked with celebrations, but with sincere commitment to Christian values and sacrifices.
“We thank God for the gift of Christmas. Jesus came to the world to save us, and we must receive Him in our hearts and in our lives,” the Bishop said.
He charged Christians to live lives worthy of sacrifice by reflecting Christ’s teachings through their actions, attitudes and relationships with others.
According to him, the true essence of Christmas lies in peace, happiness and harmony.
He encouraged people to share the joy of the season with those around them, especially the less privileged, while emphasizing the need for reconciliation at all levels.
He urged christians to seek reconciliation with God and with fellow human beings noting that Christmas should be dedicated for Christ’s sake by doing the right things and avoiding the wrong ones.
Bishop Mamza expressed concern over the prevailing security challenges in the country, describing the rising cases of kidnapping and violent attacks as disturbing and unacceptable.
He called on the government to live up to its responsibilities in safeguarding the lives of citizens.
“My advice is that government should live up to its duty of providing security of lives. What we are witnessing today kidnapping and attacks left, right and center—is uncalled for,” he said.
He urged the president to take Nigeria back to the golden past during which the country witnessed peace and unity amongst its diverse populace.
The Bishop urged authorities to work towards restoring that era of peace by strengthening security architecture and engaging citizens as partners in intelligence gathering.
He noted that security agencies depend largely on information from the public to function effectively.
He therefore appealed to Nigerians to be vigilant and proactive, encouraging citizens to support security personnel by providing relevant and timely information on suspicious activities. “We should all be vigilant of what is happening around us,” he said.
Bishop Mamza called for collective responsibility, stressing that peace, security and national unity can only be achieved when government, security agencies and citizens work together in mutual trust and cooperation.
