The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged religious leaders to avoid describing Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious war ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Idris said such narratives could worsen existing tensions and threaten national unity, stressing the need for religious leaders to use their influence to promote peace, tolerance and responsible citizenship.
The minister made the call during his 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 at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation shared the minister’s address on its official X account on Thursday.
Speaking on religious freedom and national security, Idris said the government remained committed to protecting the constitutional rights of Nigerians to practise their faith without fear.
He maintained that Christians, Muslims and adherents of other religions should be able to worship freely and coexist peacefully.
According to the minister, security threats in the country should not be wrongly interpreted as attacks targeted at a particular religion.
Idris said terrorists and criminal groups have attacked Nigerians from different religious and social backgrounds, arguing that their broader objective is to create fear and weaken national unity.
Idris described religious leaders as influential voices in Nigerian society, noting that millions of citizens depend on pastors, bishops and other faith leaders for guidance on issues affecting their communities and the country.
He urged them to use that influence responsibly, particularly at a time when misinformation, hate speech and political tensions can spread rapidly.
The minister said religious platforms should promote truth, peaceful coexistence and responsible participation in national affairs rather than deepen divisions.
With the 2027 elections approaching, Idris urged religious leaders to differentiate political disagreements from religious conflict.
He acknowledged that Nigerians have the constitutional right to support political parties and candidates of their choice, adding that religious leaders are also entitled to personal political opinions.
However, he warned that political differences should not be allowed to become religious hostility.
Idris called on Nigerians to assess the records and programmes of political candidates, vote according to their conscience and accept legitimate electoral outcomes.
He also warned against allowing elections to create divisions between Christians and Muslims, the North and South, or different ethnic groups.
The minister said the Federal Government had adopted a broader strategy to address insecurity through intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation, military operations, improved logistics and international partnerships.
According to Idris, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has also strengthened security cooperation with the United States and other friendly countries in areas including intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism, training, defence and border security.
He said the government’s counter-terrorism strategy was focused on unified command, intelligence, community stability and sustained counter-insurgency operations.
Idris said security forces had continued operations against terrorist and criminal networks across the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions.
He cited a report from the North-East Theatre Commander which indicated that approximately 1,000 terrorist elements, including several of their leaders, were eliminated during the first quarter of 2026.
The minister also pointed to rescue operations carried out in August, when security agencies reportedly rescued 308 abducted Nigerians in Niger and Kwara states.
The operation involved the Armed Forces, Department of State Services and Nigeria Police Force.
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Despite the role of security agencies, Idris said the fight against insecurity could not be left entirely to the military and police.
He urged religious leaders to strengthen social cohesion and help steer young Nigerians away from radicalisation and criminal activities.
The minister also encouraged faith leaders to promote dialogue and peaceful engagement as alternatives to violence when addressing political, social and economic grievances.
As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, Idris maintained that religious leaders have an important responsibility to ensure political competition does not degenerate into religious, ethnic or regional conflict.
