The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged religious leaders to avoid portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious war, warning that such narratives could deepen divisions and threaten national unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Idris also called on Christian leaders to use their influence to promote truth, peace, responsible citizenship and religious tolerance, stressing that no Nigerian should be attacked or discriminated against because of their faith.
The minister made the call in a keynote address delivered 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 at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Speaking on religious freedom and national security, Idris said the Federal Government remained committed to protecting the constitutional rights of Nigerians to freely practise their faith.
He said, “Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and the Federal Government remains committed to protecting every citizen’s right to worship and practise their faith freely.
“No Nigerian should be attacked or discriminated against because of religion. Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths should be able to live and worship in peace.”
The minister, however, cautioned against presenting terrorism and criminality as conflicts between religious groups.
“At the same time, we should not allow our security challenges to be wrongly presented as a religious war. Terrorists and criminal groups have attacked Nigerians of different faiths and backgrounds, and their objective is to create fear and undermine our national unity,” he said.
Idris said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had strengthened intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation, military operations and international security partnerships in its efforts to tackle terrorism and other criminal activities.
He said cooperation with the United States and other countries covered intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism, training, defence and border security.
According to him, the fight against insecurity requires the cooperation and vigilance of all Nigerians, not just security agencies.
The minister also highlighted the influence of religious leaders, particularly pastors and bishops, in shaping public opinion and urged them to use their platforms responsibly.
“The Church occupies a special place in the life of our nation. Millions of Nigerians look to their pastors, bishops and other religious leaders not only for spiritual guidance, but also for direction on issues that affect their families, communities and the country,” he said.
He warned that misinformation, hate speech, religious intolerance and political tension could spread rapidly, stressing that religious platforms should instead promote peace and responsible citizenship.
With the 2027 elections approaching, Idris urged religious leaders to distinguish political differences from 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 said.
Idris further warned against allowing the elections to deepen religious, ethnic or regional divisions, urging Nigerians to assess candidates based on their records and programmes and to accept legitimate electoral outcomes.
“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,” he said.
On the security situation, the minister said the government had adopted a comprehensive strategy involving intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination, military operations, improved logistics and community stability.
He said security forces had continued to put pressure on terrorist and criminal networks across the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions.
Idris also cited recent military and security operations, including the reported elimination of approximately 1,000 terrorist elements, including dozens of their leaders, in the North-East during the first quarter of 2026.
He further said security agencies had rescued 308 abducted Nigerians in Niger and Kwara States in August through a coordinated operation involving the Armed Forces, Department of State Services and Nigeria Police Force.
However, Idris stressed that military action alone would not be enough to achieve lasting peace.
He urged religious leaders to help strengthen social cohesion, guide young people away from radicalisation and criminality, and encourage dialogue and peaceful engagement as alternatives to violence.
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