Congo's bishops said a young Catholic was killed at point-blank range and another was shot dead while trying to return home from anti-government protests.

While reiterating that the killings must stop, the bishops warned that the leaders did not know how to make peace, were confused, traumatized and feared peace.

On April 14, 2014, 276 girls were abducted from a boarding school in Nigeria by Boko Haram militants.

The bishops condemned the "bloody violence" used by government security forces to suppress marches by mostly Catholic protesters on Dec. 31 and Jan. 21

Bishop Okpaleke's appointment had been met by protests and petitions calling for the appointment of a bishop from among the local clergy.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference welcomed the resignation as “long overdue.”