{
  "id": 46612,
  "title": "Atiku condemns presidency’s attack on Catholic bishops, demands apology",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/atiku-condemns-presidencys-attack-on-catholic-bishops-demands-apology",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-02T14:00:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/atiku-condemns-presidencys-attack-on-catholic-bishops-demands-apology/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, has strongly condemned the current presidency's attack on the Catholic Church and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, describing it as an act of intolerance and disrespect towards a respected moral institution. Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, demanded an immediate and unreserved apology from the presidency to Cardinal Onaiyekan and the Catholic faithful, calling the response \"arrogant, disrespectful, and unbecoming of a democratic government.\" The former vice president criticized the presidency for resorting to intimidation and political attacks rather than addressing the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, emphasizing that the Catholic Church has consistently served as a moral voice for the nation, speaking truth to power on behalf of the poor, vulnerable, and oppressed.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "No N7.98tn oil windfall, Presidency faults Atiku’s criticism",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/no-n7-98tn-oil-windfall-presidency-faults-atikus-criticism",
        "published": "2026-08-02T22:00:48.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}