President Bola Tinubu has urged religious and spiritual leaders to take a stronger stand against terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and the misuse of religion to justify violence, saying faith communities have a crucial role in rebuilding peace and social cohesion.
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, George Akume, at the Grand Maulud of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tijani.
The President said religious leaders could not remain on the sidelines as Nigeria and other countries confront violent extremism, transnational crime, identity-based conflict and other threats to social stability.
“Your voices must be raised consistently against the murder of innocent people, against terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and the misuse of religion to justify cruelty,” Tinubu said.
He urged religious institutions and their networks to expand advocacy for peace education, religious literacy, scholarship and the moral development of young people.
According to him, clerics should use their influence to promote justice, responsibility, compassion and peaceful ways of resolving grievances, while reminding citizens that legitimate complaints must never become a justification for violence.
The President’s appeal comes against the backdrop of persistent security challenges in Nigeria, including terrorism in the North-East and banditry and kidnapping in parts of the North-West and North-Central.
Tinubu has repeatedly argued that the fight against insecurity requires cooperation beyond the security agencies. In June, he urged Nigerians to provide security authorities with timely and useful intelligence, describing the fight against terror as a national responsibility.
At the Kano gathering, the President said the role of religious leaders had become even more important because of the scale of conflict and displacement around the world.
Citing UNHCR figures, he said 117.8 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2025.
Tinubu said spiritual leaders “guard the frontiers of conscience” through their ability to heal wounds, resolve grievances and challenge hatred before it develops into violence.
He specifically highlighted the Tijjaniyya’s extensive networks across West Africa, North Africa and beyond, saying the community could deploy its influence for reconciliation, counter-extremism initiatives, youth guidance and humanitarian support.
The President said the Federal Government recognised religious and traditional leaders as important partners in promoting tolerance, countering misinformation and identity-based divisions, strengthening grassroots peacebuilding and encouraging peaceful coexistence.
He also linked Nigeria’s security to wider regional stability, pointing to the country’s position within West Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and the Gulf of Guinea.
Tinubu said religious communities with transnational connections could complement government and regional institutions in building an “architecture of social peace”.
He urged faith leaders to promote truthfulness, compassion, justice, restraint, service and respect for human life.
The President also paid tribute to the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, the prominent Tijjaniyya scholar who died on November 27, 2025, at the age of 101.
Tinubu had previously described Sheikh Dahiru as “a teacher, a father and a voice of moderation and reason,” as well as an advocate of peace and piety.
He said preserving the late scholar’s legacy of Qur’anic scholarship, moral instruction, peaceful coexistence and service to society would be an enduring tribute.
Tinubu welcomed the World Khalifa of the Tijjaniyya Order, scholars and other delegates who attended the Maulud from Nigeria and abroad.
He assured Nigerians that his administration would continue to uphold freedom of worship while strengthening collaboration with religious and traditional institutions to promote peace, mutual respect and national cohesion.
The appeal puts renewed focus on the influence of faith leaders in Nigeria’s security response, particularly in communities where clerics and traditional authorities have significant access to young people and local networks.
