National Unity Summit: President Tinubu, Stakeholders Warn Against Exploiting Religion and Ethnicity

President Bola Tinubu has emphasized that no political or social differences justify breaking up Nigeria, calling on citizens and political actors to prioritize dialogue to safeguard national unity.

Speaking through Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin at the International Conference on Security and National Unity in Abuja, President Tinubu affirmed the administration’s commitment to addressing security challenges and fostering peaceful coexistence across the country. The summit was organized by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in collaboration with the Muslim World League.

Also addressing the conference, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, warned political leaders against weaponizing religion and ethnicity for short-term political gains. Reflecting on his personal experience as a survivor of communal crisis, Yilwatda noted that violence inflicts equal harm on all citizens regardless of faith, urging politicians and religious leaders to use their influence to promote reconciliation rather than division.

Representatives of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), including Executive Secretary Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua and Co-Chairman the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, similarly cautioned against using poverty and identity differences to stir conflict. The Sultan stressed that addressing Nigeria’s peace and security challenges requires active implementation of existing peace agreements and mutual respect among religious communities.

The conference featured the presence of the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Issa, to oversee the signing of the Abuja Declaration a joint initiative between Christian and Islamic leaders designed to establish a regional peace-building framework to prevent interfaith tensions across West Africa. The event drew participation from federal ministers, state governors, traditional rulers, and international delegates.