President Bola Tinubu has charged religious leaders across Nigeria, Africa and beyond to intensify their campaign against terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and the exploitation of religion to justify violence, declaring that no genuine service to God could be advanced through the destruction of innocent lives.
The President also called on religious institutions and networks to deepen peace education, religious literacy and moral instruction for young people, while deploying their influence to promote justice, compassion, responsibility and the peaceful resolution of grievances.
Tinubu made the call on Sunday in Kano in a goodwill message delivered on his behalf by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the Grand Maulud of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tijani, RTA.
President Tinubu said religious authorities had a critical role to play in confronting violence, extremism and the manipulation of faith for destructive purposes
He urged religious institutions and networks to strengthen advocacy for peace education, religious literacy, scholarship and the moral formation of young people.
Tinubu said the appeal had become particularly urgent as societies across the world grappled with armed conflicts, uncertainty, climate, food and energy shocks, violent extremism, terrorism, transnational crime and the increasingly dangerous manipulation of identity and religion.