The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerians to put aside religious, ethnic and political differences and unite against insecurity and other challenges confronting the country.
Idris made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while speaking on the sidelines of an international conference on “Diversity and Social Peace: A Partnership for a Promising Future,” organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in partnership with the Muslim World League.
The minister said Nigeria needed unity more than ever, stressing that division would only worsen the country’s security challenges.
“All of us need to come together, think as Nigerians, think as human beings, and work together, irrespective of our differences, so that we can act as one,” Idris said.
He urged Nigerians to reject violence and intolerance, warning that religious and ethnic differences could complicate efforts to tackle insecurity.
“There is no time for differences. If, in our fight against insecurity, we allow religious differences, it will only exacerbate the problem. The need for us to come together as one people is important,” he said.
Idris clarified that the conference was not organised by the Federal Government but said the government welcomed initiatives promoting interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence and national unity.
He said Nigeria’s size and strategic importance meant that peace in the country would have wider implications for Africa and the world.
“Nigeria is a very important country. It is a country of over 230 million people. Peace and tranquillity here mean peace and tranquillity everywhere in Africa and, indeed, the world,” he said.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I. Jibrin, who represented President Bola Tinubu, reaffirmed the President’s commitment to sustainable security, national unity and international cooperation.
The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, urged Nigerians to reject attempts to exploit religion, ethnicity and poverty to divide the country.
Similarly, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for sustained dialogue, honesty and stronger implementation of solutions to the nation’s challenges.
The National Chairman of JIBWIS, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, advocated stronger collaboration between government, religious organisations and communities to address insecurity, while urging greater investment in education and skills development to prevent youth radicalisation and criminal recruitment.
