The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on religious leaders to refrain from framing Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious war, warning that such narratives risk undermining national unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Idris made the appeal in a keynote address at the grand finale of the 2026 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and the International Communion of Charismatic Archbishops, Bishops and Apostles, held at the National Christian Centre in Abuja on Wednesday.
He stressed that terrorists and criminal groups have attacked Nigerians of all faiths and backgrounds with the aim of spreading fear and eroding national cohesion.
“We should not allow our security challenges to be wrongly presented as a religious war,” Idris said. “Terrorists and criminal groups have attacked Nigerians of different faiths and backgrounds, and their objective is to create fear and undermine our national unity.”
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting constitutional freedom of religion for Christians, Muslims and adherents of other faiths. He emphasised that no Nigerian should be attacked, threatened or discriminated against because of their beliefs.
Idris highlighted the significant influence religious leaders hold over millions of citizens and urged them to use the pulpit and other platforms to promote truth, peace, tolerance and responsible citizenship. He cautioned against the rapid spread of misinformation and hate speech through social media and digital devices.
As the 2027 elections approached, the minister called for a clear distinction between legitimate political competition and religious hostility.
“Political competition is part of democracy. Nigerians have the right to support the political party or candidate of their choice. Religious leaders also have the right, as citizens, to hold political opinions, but we must draw a clear line between political disagreement and religious hostility,” he stated.
“No election should be allowed to turn Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian, North against South, or one ethnic group against another. Nigeria belongs to all of us.”
Idris noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has strengthened intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation, military operations and international partnerships.
He cited progress in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions, including the reported elimination of approximately 1,000 terrorist elements in the first quarter of 2026 and the recent rescue of 308 abducted citizens in Niger and Kwara States.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, also addressed the gathering, emphasising that national security requires a whole-of-society approach beyond the security agencies.
He urged the Church to treat peacebuilding as part of national security, help young people resist radicalisation and political violence, strengthen community early-warning systems, and oppose vote-buying, hate speech and election-related violence.
“Elections will come and go, but Nigeria must remain,” Akume said. “An election is a contest for office. It must never become a war for survival.”