Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has restated that Nigeria is a multi-religious nation, not a secular state, and that Shariah law applies strictly to Muslims.
He insists it is “totally wrong” for any Christian to be dragged before a Shariah court or compelled to adopt Islamic practices.
Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, called for deeper collaboration between NIREC and the Federal Government, warning that extremists were exploiting religion to fuel insecurity. He pledged legislative support for peace-building efforts.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), George Akume, said Nigeria was facing serious security and trust challenges but stressed that the nation’s unity and sovereignty remain non-negotiable.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, urged closer cooperation between government and faith-based organisations, noting that Nigeria is at a critical point where insecurity threatens national cohesion. He stressed that faith institutions—trusted at community level—are pivotal to promoting dialogue, mobilising grassroots support, and sustaining peace.
Okoh called for deeper cooperation between government, NIREC, and faith-based bodies to “nurture social harmony and strengthen collective security”.
NIREC Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, reiterated the urgent need for unified efforts against terrorism and banditry. He said every human life is precious to God and prayed for divine guidance for the nation’s leaders and repentance for criminals.
Omonokhua also prayed for a national shift from negative to positive values, describing such transformation as key to sustainable peace.
