President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to preserve the unity of the country despite their differences, stressing that dialogue remains essential to sustaining Nigeria as one united nation.

Tinubu, represented by Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, made the call on Tuesday at the International Conference on Security and National Unity organised by the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in collaboration with the Muslim World League.

The President said his administration remained committed to addressing the country’s security challenges and promoting peace through collaboration with other nations.

He urged Nigerians to continue engaging one another through dialogue and resist actions that could threaten the unity of the country.

Tinubu said the conference was timely given the multiple security challenges confronting Nigeria and other parts of the world, expressing hope that its deliberations would contribute to sustainable peace at the regional, continental and global levels.

He also commended the Muslim World League for partnering JIBWIS and selecting Nigeria as the first country to host the conference.

Yilwatda Warns Against Religious, Ethnic Politics

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, warned political leaders against exploiting religion and ethnicity for political advantage, saying such actions could deepen divisions and cause lasting damage to the country.

Yilwatda said Nigeria’s diversity should be a source of strength rather than division, stressing that religious and ethnic differences should not undermine the shared humanity and common destiny of Nigerians.

Recalling his experience as a displaced person during the Bauchi crisis, the APC chairman said violence did not discriminate between Christians and Muslims, as everyone suffered its consequences.

He urged political leaders to resist the temptation to weaponise religion and ethnicity for temporary political gains.

Yilwatda also called on religious leaders to use their influence to promote peace and reconciliation, rather than hatred and division.

He urged churches and mosques to become centres of peace, responsible citizenship and reconciliation, while calling on religious leaders to preach faith without hatred, conviction without contempt and truth without incitement.

He further called on traditional rulers, political leaders, religious institutions and citizens to reject hate speech and protect vulnerable communities irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

NIREC: Religion Must Not Be Weaponised

The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) also urged Nigerians to reject attempts to weaponise religion, ethnicity and poverty to create division.

The Executive Secretary of NIREC, Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, said Christians and Muslims should promote mercy, compassion, love and respect for human dignity.

He stressed that humanity remained the common bond among Nigerians and warned against using religion to justify violence.

Omonokhua said both Christianity and Islam uphold the sanctity of human life and called for greater cooperation between the two faiths to promote peace and national cohesion.

Sultan Demands Implementation of Peace Agreements

The Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of NIREC, Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for greater implementation of agreements reached at conferences, saying Nigeria does not lack solutions to its challenges.

According to him, the major problem is often the failure to implement decisions and recommendations reached at such gatherings.

The Sultan also urged Christians and Muslims to desist from insulting one another, saying mutual respect and tolerance were essential to peaceful coexistence.

Abuja Declaration

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 a new alliance between Muslim and Christian leaders and create a peace-building mechanism to help Nigeria and West Africa prevent religious tensions from escalating into violence.

The conference brought together federal government officials, governors, religious and traditional leaders and other stakeholders to deliberate on security, national unity, interfaith relations and peace-building.

The gathering is part of broader efforts to strengthen cooperation among religious leaders and promote peaceful coexistence in Nigeria and the wider West African region.