The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Enugu, Samuel Ike, has urged the federal government to halt the reintegration of repentant terrorists, insisting that those behind acts of terror should be prosecuted and punished under the law.

Delivering his State of the Nation address at the third session of the 19th Synod of the Diocese in Enugu, the bishop argued that terrorists should not be rewarded with reintegration after their atrocities. He commended the President for raising military funding and restructuring the security architecture but said tougher measures were needed.

He called on the President to remove and sanction cabinet members sympathetic to terrorists, including any who described them as brothers, and said the government should stop calling them insurgents and label them terrorists. He noted that citizens had been sentenced for lesser offences while those responsible for mass killings escaped justice through reintegration.

Bishop Ike also faulted the National Assembly for not making security its top priority, finding it embarrassing that US lawmakers appeared to be leading calls for improved security in Nigeria. He said the country had moved from sixth to fourth on the 2026 Global Terrorism Index and urged sanctions against social media platforms used by terrorist groups to spread propaganda.

Citing Amnesty International, he said at least 1,100 Nigerians were abducted in the first three months of 2026, recalling the seizure of candidates travelling for the JAMB examination in Benue State and deadly attacks in Plateau State. He warned that insecurity could undermine the 2027 elections and urged politicians to avoid overheating the polity while pressing INEC to ensure a level playing field.