Christian, Muslim, traditional, and interfaith leaders from all around Nigeria have sent a clear message to President Bola Tinubu: the country’s rising insecurity is his fault, and it has now become a national emergency.
They also said that the National Assembly doesn’t have much moral authority to make laws if the areas that elected them are being overtaken by violence, according to Vanguard.
The Global Peace Foundation (Nigeria) held a high-level Interfaith Dialogue on Religious Freedom and Human Security in Nigeria today in Abuja, where this stance was shared.
Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Sheikh Nurudeen Lemu, Rev. Dr. Stephen Panya Baba, Vice Chairman of CAN, Sheikh Nuru Khalid, Archbishop Sunday Onuoha, and Rev. Fr. were all at the meeting. Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka; Alhaji Attihuru, the Emir of Bangudu; Alh. Dr. Ahmadu Aliyu Oga Onawo, Emir of Doma, and others.
The leaders agreed that Nigeria’s security problems started long before Tinubu took office, but they said that he now had both the legal and moral responsibility to get the country out of its problems.
“Every life is sacred and should be preserved. “We condemn all killings, kidnappings, and targeted attacks across Nigeria,” they said.
One speaker after another highlighted that no religious tradition promotes violence or hurting innocent people. They also called on religious leaders to speak out against extremists who use religion for bad purposes and to protect human dignity.
Rev. John Joseph Hayab, the Country Director of the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, said that the purpose of the gathering was to strengthen unity and moral clarity.
“It is more than a meeting today; it is proof of our shared commitment to protect freedom of religion or belief and strengthen the ties that bind us as one Nigerian family,” he said.
In his main speech, Rev. Fr. Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka called the wave of violence that was spreading through communities a national and spiritual disaster.
“When a Nigerian dies, the whole country bleeds.” He said, “When a child is taken, the whole country is taken.”
He told the participants that Christian, Muslim, and traditional teachings all say that life is sacred. He asked religious leaders to work together to protect the Nigerian soul and stir up the national conscience.
He quoted the Bible, saying, “Whoever kills one person has killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life has saved all of humanity.”
The meeting agreed to make local interfaith peace committees stronger, improve early warning systems, increase mediation efforts, help people heal from trauma, and send more messages about peace to young people and women.
The message was clear about political leadership: “Nigeria’s problems go back before President Tinubu, but as the president of the day, most of the work is on his plate.”
“The president needs to understand that nothing we do will matter if we don’t deal with the problem of insecurity in the country.
“Likewise, members of the national assembly should understand that we will lack responsibilities if their constituencies are engulfed in insecurity and violence.”
“Nigerians need to understand that we made our own problems and that we are all to blame for them. We need to take responsibility for fixing them.” “Only people from within can really fix it.”
The conversation also agreed to set up a Joint Interfaith Advocacy Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), start working on a National FoRB Commission, have interfaith consultations every three months, and keep track of hate speech and violence.
Archbishop Sunday Onuoha told the government to ask for help from other countries when it needs it, but to protect Nigeria’s independence at the same time.
“We can ask for help if we can borrow money from other parts of the world.” “But we need to make sure that our sovereignty is respected when we ask for help,” he continued.
At the end of the talks, religious and traditional leaders said again that they will work together to bring back peace, protect human rights, and enhance national unity.
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