CSOs caution Nigerians against rhetoric fuelling religious, tribal intolerance

The Centre for Public Accountability (CPA), in collaboration with the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, has warned against inciting religious and tribal intolerance in Nigeria.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Monday, Declan Ihekaire, convener of the group, lamented that many Nigerians have continued to make negative comments on what he described as a sensitive issue capable of worsening the nation’s security challenges.

“What is sacrosanct in this issue is that the unity of Nigeria must be preserved. We categorically reject the divisive and inflammatory claim that the insecurity ravaging parts of the country is exclusively targeted at Nigeria’s Christian population. Such narratives are dangerous, simplistic, and deliberately engineered to inflame religious tensions,” he said.

Ihekaire said insecurity in Nigeria is a national problem, not a Christian, Muslim, or ethnic problem, and remains a threat to every citizen.

He said the issue must be addressed holistically, without bias, sentiment or political coloration, adding that Nigeria “cannot and must not become another destabilized theatre of global power play”.

“Those behind terrorism and insurgency — and their sponsors — are intentionally attacking certain Christian-dominated communities in certain regions, not because the crisis is religious. These people aim to manipulate emotions, fuel sectarian suspicion, and fracture national unity,” Ihekaire said.

“At the same time, Muslim-majority communities in the North have also suffered devastating attacks, with thousands killed or displaced.”

He noted that Nigeria has continued to face serious security challenges — terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and organized criminality — in spite of efforts by the federal government.

“Let it be clearly stated that President Bola Tinubu inherited a security architecture already weakened by years of insurgency, underfunded institutions, and a dangerously porous border system. These problems did not arise today, and they certainly did not originate under this administration,” he said.

“There’s no doubt, that Tinubu has had to confront, head-on, a deeply entrenched crisis that has festered for more than a decade.

“It is therefore unfair, misleading, and politically motivated for anyone, foreign or local, to suggest that the ongoing killings across the country began recently or that they are the result of negligence by the current administration.”

Olufemi Lawson, national secretary of Campaign for Democracy, commended the ministry of interior for what he described as bold innovative reforms, particularly in strengthening border protection systems to curb illegal migration, arms trafficking and cross-border criminal networks.

“The digital surveillance, identity management systems, including enhanced passport processing reforms, and improved data integration across security platforms by the ministry has helped to addressing insecurity. These initiatives represent the kind of forward-thinking security modernization Nigeria urgently requires,” Lawson said.

Gbenga Soloki, another convener of the group, said there is need for full intervention on insecurity by every Nigerian concerned.

He said insecurity challenges across the world are not surmounted in a day and urged Nigerian leaders to support the federal government and security agencies in the fight against criminality.

“While we acknowledge the progress made so far, we also challenge the Nigerian government to intensify efforts in identifying, pursuing, and apprehending the masterminds of insecurity — including financiers, informants, collaborators, and foreign enablers, conducting thorough investigations into the economic, political, and external interests benefiting from the prolonged insecurity, strengthening community-based intelligence systems, empowering traditional institutions, and improving local policing frameworks,” he said.