By BONIFACE AKARAH

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has faulted the exclusion of major Catholic and Christian nations in Africa from the maiden visit of Pope Leo XIV, describing it as a “fundamental omission” requiring urgent redress.

In a statement issued Monday, the group said the papal itinerary, which covers Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, failed to include countries with the largest Catholic populations and most severe security challenges facing Christians.

Intersociety said, “we have observed a fundamental omission in the Holy Father’s African visit,” noting that “super Catholic and Christian populated countries of Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya were excluded despite their enormous population and pressing needs.”

The group added that “these countries collectively account for over 141 million Catholics and more than 329 million Christians,” stressing that they should have been prioritised in the Pope’s first visit to the continent.

According to the statement, “as a matter of fact, these six African countries should have been scheduled as ‘first among equals’ in the Pope Leo XIV’s maiden African visit,” given the scale of threats facing Christian populations in those regions.

Intersociety argued that the exclusion is more concerning in light of rising insecurity, warning that “the most threatened and attacked African countries ought to have been included in the itinerary of the Pope.”

The group further stated that “except Cameroon, Catholics and general Christian populations face less jihadist threats in Angola and Equatorial Guinea than in Nigeria, Congo DRC, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya,” insisting that the Pope’s visit should reflect areas of greatest need.

While acknowledging the significance of the visit, Intersociety said it holds “no grudges against the choice of the four African countries,” but maintained that the omission of larger and more vulnerable Christian populations undermines the broader purpose of the mission.

The organisation also cautioned that failure to prioritise such regions could have long-term consequences, warning that “if extreme care is not taken, their teeming Christian populations may face existential threats in the coming decades.”

It therefore called for a review of the papal itinerary in subsequent visits, urging the Vatican to address what it described as gaps in the current mission.

“The omission must be corrected in a second papal missionary journey to Africa,” the group said, adding that the visit should serve as “encouragement and strengthening of Christian faith believers in dangerous regions.”