President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to uphold the unity of the country despite their differences, stressing that dialogue and peaceful coexistence remain essential to maintaining a united Nigeria.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, made the call on Tuesday at the International Conference on Security and National Unity organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in collaboration with the Muslim World League.
The President said his administration remained committed to tackling the country’s security challenges while strengthening cooperation with other nations to promote peace.
He urged Nigerians to embrace dialogue and work together to preserve the unity of the nation.
The conference, he said, was timely given the growing security challenges confronting countries around the world, adding that its discussions could contribute to efforts towards achieving lasting peace across Nigeria, Africa and the wider world.
Tinubu also commended the Muslim World League for partnering with JIBWIS and selecting Nigeria as the first country to host the conference.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, warned political leaders against exploiting religion and ethnicity for political gains.
He said Nigeria’s diversity should be viewed as a source of strength rather than division, stressing that religious and ethnic differences should not overshadow the shared humanity and common destiny of citizens.
Yilwatda, who reflected on his experience as a displaced person during the Bauchi crisis, said violence affected people regardless of their religious background.
He urged politicians to resist the temptation to weaponise religion and ethnicity, warning that temporary political gains could cause lasting damage to the country.
The APC chairman also called on religious leaders to use their influence to promote peace, reconciliation and responsible citizenship rather than hatred and division.
He urged them to preach faith without hatred and conviction without incitement, while calling on traditional rulers to prioritise dialogue and reconciliation over retaliation.
Yilwatda further appealed to Nigerians to reject hate speech and protect vulnerable communities, regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.
The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) also called on citizens to reject attempts to use religion, ethnicity and poverty as tools for division.
The council’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, said Christians and Muslims should promote compassion, love, mercy and respect for human dignity.
He stressed that humanity was the common bond among Nigerians and warned against using religion to justify violence.
Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of NIREC, Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for stronger implementation of agreements reached at conferences, noting that Nigeria already had many solutions to its challenges.
The Sultan also urged Christians and Muslims to avoid insulting one another, stressing that mutual respect was essential for peaceful coexistence.
The conference was attended by the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Issa, who witnessed the signing of the Abuja Declaration.
The declaration seeks to establish stronger cooperation between Muslim and Christian leaders and create a peace-building mechanism aimed at preventing religious tensions from escalating into violence in Nigeria and West Africa.
The event was also attended by federal ministers, governors, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other dignitaries.
