“The Nigerian state seems to be on the verge of collapse,” two officials of the country’s episcopal conference said in a statement about the parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.

In their strongly worded statement, the Church leaders surveyed the violence that has afflicted Nigeria, “from attacks by unknown gunmen throughout the southeast, to the insurgency in the northeast with the killing of innocent civilians which continues unabated.” They also pointed to the “food shortages and growing inflation,” and demoralization of the populace.

The statement urged priests to encourage their people to register to vote. However, it cautioned against the practice of requiring a voter-identification card as a condition for attending Mass.