The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has cautioned religious leaders against portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious conflict, warning that such narratives could threaten national cohesion as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
Idris also urged Christian leaders to use their platforms to encourage peace, tolerance, responsible citizenship and truth, stressing that Nigerians must not face discrimination or attacks on account of their faith.
The minister made the call on Wednesday while delivering the 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 published the address on its official X account on Thursday.
Addressing religious freedom and national security, Idris reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerians’ constitutional right to practise their religion freely.
“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.
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,” the statement quoted Idris as saying.
With the 2027 elections drawing closer, the minister urged religious leaders to separate political disagreements from religious tensions.
“As we approach the 2027 general elections, this responsibility will become even more important. 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,” the minister added
Idris further stressed that freedom of worship applied equally to Christians, Muslims and followers of other faiths, warning against using the elections to deepen religious, ethnic or regional divisions.
We must therefore be clear: no Nigerian should be attacked, threatened or discriminated against because of his or her faith. Christians must be able to worship freely. Muslims must be able to worship freely. People of other faiths and those who hold different beliefs should equally be able to live according to their conscience within the law.
“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. The message from our religious leaders should therefore encourage citizens to participate actively in democracy, examine the records and programmes of political candidates, vote according to their conscience, and accept legitimate electoral outcomes. Our differences should not become a reason for violence,” Idris warned.
On the security situation, the minister said the Federal Government was pursuing a broad strategy involving intelligence gathering, coordination among security agencies, military operations and improved logistics.
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“This is particularly important because Nigeria has made significant progress in confronting the security challenges that have affected many parts of the country. That is why the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has adopted a comprehensive approach to national security.
“The Administration has strengthened intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination, military operations, logistics and the wider national security architecture. The President has also directed a new counter-terrorism approach built around unified command, intelligence, community stability and sustained counter-insurgency operations”, he stated.
Idris said security agencies had continued operations against terrorist and criminal networks in the North-East, North-West and North-Central parts of the country.
“We are seeing results. Our security forces have continued to put pressure on terrorist and criminal networks across the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the Theatre Commander in the North-East reported that approximately 1,000 terrorist elements, including dozens of their leaders, had been eliminated,” he noted.
He also highlighted recent rescue efforts, saying, “There have also been significant rescue operations. In August, security agencies rescued 308 abducted Nigerians in Niger and Kwara States in a coordinated, intelligence-led operation involving the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force.”
However, Idris said the responsibility for building a peaceful and secure society extended beyond security agencies.
He urged religious leaders to help strengthen social cohesion, steer young people away from radicalisation and criminality, and encourage dialogue as a means of addressing political, social and economic grievances.
He added, “But the task of building a secure and peaceful society extends beyond the military and the police. Religious leaders have a vital role to play in strengthening social cohesion, guiding young people away from radicalisation and criminality, and promoting dialogue and peaceful engagement as the appropriate response to political, social and economic grievances.”