The Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) and CONCORD, a non-profit organisation focused on peacebuilding, development and human security, have called for stronger interfaith collaboration and collective action to tackle insecurity and social division in Nigeria.
The call was made during a strategic interfaith roundtable themed, “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Religious Pluralism: Faith, Dialogue and National Cohesion,” held in Abuja.
The forum brought together faith leaders, peacebuilding experts, community organisers, policymakers and civil society actors to examine growing local and international narratives around religion and violence in Nigeria, while exploring ways to strengthen social cohesion and national resilience.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed on Friday by Hafsah Matazu, Programme Manager, OSPRE/National Early Warning Centre, Abuja, and Amina Wali, Communications Manager, CONCORD.
Participants stressed the need for constructive engagement and coordinated responses to the drivers of insecurity and social fragmentation across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of OSPRE, Mr. Chris Ngwodo, urged a nationwide commitment to protecting vulnerable rural communities affected by violence and instability.
Ngwodo said sustainable peace could only be achieved through inclusive strategies that address the root causes of conflict, including governance failures, injustice and underdevelopment.
According to him, “efforts to build resilience must prioritise the protection and empowerment of local communities while recognising the complex and interconnected nature of violence in Nigeria.”
Participants noted that insecurity in the country is multifaceted, involving sectarian tensions, ethnic divisions, organised criminality and resource-based conflicts.
They agreed that addressing the challenges requires multidimensional approaches such as responsive local governance, improved grassroots protection and long-term investments in initiatives that promote social integration and preserve Nigeria’s pluralistic identity.
Also speaking, the Director of Integrative Missions and Dialogue at CONCORD, Ms. Fatima Madaki, emphasised the need for balanced and locally driven engagement amid renewed international scrutiny of religious freedom issues in Nigeria.
She referenced the recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States Government, warning that misinformation and external narratives could worsen mistrust among citizens.
“Nigeria’s strength has always rested in its diversity, our ability, despite challenges, to coexist, collaborate and build shared communities across faiths and identities,” Madaki said.
“At a time when misinformation spreads rapidly across social media and external narratives can easily deepen mistrust, faith leaders and civic actors have an even greater responsibility to promote calm, justice, empathy, truth and national unity.”
Organisations represented at the dialogue included the Islamic Education Trust, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, Centre for Civilians in Conflict, The Kukah Centre, Neem Foundation, HumAngle Foundation and the Centre for Peace Studies and Conflict Management, among others.
The conveners reaffirmed their commitment to sustained interfaith dialogue, stronger civic partnerships and collaborative peacebuilding initiatives aimed at preserving national unity and promoting inclusive development.
