Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on religious leaders to leverage their platforms to promote peace and national unity ahead of the 2027 general elections, cautioning that inflammatory messages could escalate religious and ethnic tensions in the country.
It was made at the grand finale of the 2026 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and International Communion of Charismatic Archbishops, Bishops and Apostles (ICCABA) which held at the National Christian Center, Abuja.
Religious leaders, he said, had a vital role in keeping the peace because millions of Nigerians looked to them for direction, not only on spiritual issues but also on issues affecting their communities and the country.
“In an era where misinformation, hate speech, religious intolerance and political tension can be disseminated within minutes, the pulpit and other platforms of religious communication should be spaces for the promotion of truth, peace and responsible citizenship,” Idris warned.
He said political competition was a normal part of democracy but warned that political differences should not be allowed to become religious or ethnic conflicts.
The Minister also warned against portraying the country’s security issues as a religious conflict, saying that terrorists and criminal groups had attacked Nigerians of different religious and ethnic backgrounds.
“The Nigerian Government is committed to protecting the constitutional right of every Nigerian to practise his or her religion freely,” Idris said.
“No Nigerian should be assaulted or discriminated against on the grounds of religion. “Christians, Muslims and other faiths should be able to live and worship in peace,” the Minister emphasized.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has strengthened intelligence gathering, inter-agency cooperation and military operations against terrorist and criminal networks, Idris said.
On the economy, the Minister said the Nigerian Government was carrying out reforms and creating opportunities for young Nigerians through programs like NELFUND, 3MTT, NYIF, NATEP, SVCG, SUPA and iDICE.
“Nigeria’s greatest resource is not just what is under our soil. It is also the talent and ability of our people. He stressed: “Our greater obligation therefore is to preserve the peace of Nigeria, strengthen its unity and safeguard its future for generations yet to come.
But he said the onus of creating a safe society did not lie with the military and police alone, calling on religious leaders to help check radicalization and criminality among young people.
“Religious leaders have a vital role to play in strengthening social cohesion, steering young people away from radicalization and criminality and promoting dialog and peaceful engagement as the proper response to political, social and economic grievances,” Idris urged.
Idris urged religious organizations to join the government in the fight against misinformation and the promotion of responsible national discourse, and called on churches to increase their contributions to national development through education, healthcare, skills acquisition, youth development and humanitarian services.
A respected religious leader’s statement can bring peace to a community. It can also make you angry. “Therefore, leadership must always go hand in hand with responsibility,” the Minister warned.
Idris urged the religious leaders to see elections within the larger context of the nation’s continuity.
“Looking forward to 2027 and the years ahead, let us remember that elections are events in the life of a nation, while the nation itself goes beyond electoral cycles, governments and political parties,” he reminded the gathering.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, also speaking, praised the Church for its prayers, humanitarian interventions and contributions to peace, national cohesion and moral formation.
Akume acknowledged the sacrifices Nigerians have made in the ongoing course of economic reforms, assuring citizens that the Government remains focused on improving household incomes, reducing hardship and ensuring that the benefits of reform are increasingly felt across the country.
Akume assured Nigerians, “Our citizens are patriotic and resilient and we commend them for that and we assure them that it will never be in vain, as promised by Mr President himself.
He also called for greater partnership between the Government and the Church to address Nigeria’s security and development challenges particularly in the areas of youth empowerment, education, peace building, civic responsibility and humanitarian service.
For his part, the President General of CBCN, Archbishop Prof. Leonard Bature Kawas, said the Conference would support the presidential election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 general election, citing the policies of the administration and what he described as the administration’s efforts to promote national development and inclusivity.
Kawas told the assembly that the Church had reviewed the record of the administration and was ready to continue supporting the President.
“We’re behind him now. “We support him today, we support him tomorrow, and we will support him as long as he is willing to be our president,” Kawas said.
He added that the position was the mandate of the gathering, saying, “This house has endorsed him for the 2027 presidency.”
The 2026 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and the International Communion of Charismatic Archbishops, Bishops and Apostles (ICCABA) gathered Christian faith leaders, bishops and apostles to discuss the future of the Church, worship and community collaboration.