President Bola Tinubu has called on religious leaders to speak out against terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and the use of religion to promote violence.
Tinubu made the call on Sunday in Kano during the Grand Maulud of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tijani. He was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The President said clerics had an important role in promoting peace and discouraging extremism, particularly among young people.
He urged religious institutions to strengthen peace education, religious literacy, moral instruction and youth development. He also asked them to promote justice, compassion and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Tinubu warned that religious beliefs should never be used as an excuse to harm innocent people.
He said the world was facing growing challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, conflicts, food and climate crises, organised crime and the manipulation of religious and ethnic identities.
The President, citing figures from the United Nations refugee agency, said 117.8 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2025.
He said religious leaders could help address these challenges by using their influence to heal divisions, resolve grievances and discourage hatred.
Tinubu specifically highlighted the Tijjaniyya Order’s extensive networks across Africa, saying the group could contribute to peacebuilding, counter-extremism, youth guidance and humanitarian efforts.
He also called for closer cooperation between the government, religious institutions and traditional leaders to tackle misinformation, intolerance and identity-based divisions.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to freedom of worship and said the Federal Government would continue working with religious and traditional institutions to promote peace and national unity.
He also stressed that Nigeria’s stability was important to the wider region because of the country’s strategic position in West Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and the Gulf of Guinea.
Tinubu paid tribute to the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, who died in November 2025, describing him as a respected Islamic scholar and advocate of peace and moderation.
He urged the Tijjaniyya community to preserve the late scholar’s legacy through Islamic scholarship, moral instruction, peaceful coexistence and service to society.
The Maulud attracted religious scholars and leaders from Nigeria and other countries, including Algeria, Morocco, Senegal and Egypt.
