Nigeria Needs Unity Now More Than Ever, Says Information Minister
Oru Leonard
ABUJA, August 11, 2026 — The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on Nigerians to rise above religious, ethnic and political differences and unite in confronting insecurity and other challenges facing the country.
Idris made the call on Tuesday on the sidelines of the International Conference on “Diversity and Social Peace: A Partnership for a Promising Future,” organised by the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in partnership with the Muslim World League in Abuja.
The Minister said the diversity of participants at the conference underscored the need for Nigerians to work together across religious, ethnic and political divides to achieve lasting peace, security and prosperity.
“All of us need to come together, think as Nigerians, think as human beings, and work together, irrespective of our differences, so that we can act as one,” Idris said.
He warned that religious and ethnic divisions could worsen the country’s security challenges, urging Nigerians to reject violence, intolerance and attempts to exploit the nation’s diversity for destructive purposes.
“There is no time for differences. If, in our fight against insecurity, we allow religious differences, it will only exacerbate the problem. The need for us to come together as one people is important,” he said.
Idris clarified that the conference was not organised by the Federal Government, but welcomed initiatives that promote interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence and national cohesion.
“If we want to advance and march towards prosperity, all of us must think and act together and come together as one people,” the Minister stated.
He also stressed Nigeria’s strategic importance to Africa and the wider world, noting that the country’s peace and stability have implications beyond its borders.
“Nigeria is a very important country. It is a country of over 230 million people. Peace and tranquillity here mean peace and tranquillity everywhere in Africa and, indeed, the world,” he said.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the conference, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, conveyed the President’s commitment to sustainable security, national unity and international cooperation.
He said Nigeria would continue to collaborate with international partners in advancing peace and stability.
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, urged Nigerians to protect their shared humanity and resist attempts to weaponise religion, ethnicity or poverty as tools of division.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for sustained dialogue, honesty and stronger implementation of solutions to the country’s challenges. He also urged Nigerians to rebuild trust and deepen interreligious cooperation.
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, urged Nigerians to regard the country’s diversity as a source of strength rather than division.
Yilwatda noted that although Nigerians may practise different religions, they share common aspirations and face many of the same challenges.
For his part, National Chairman of JIBWIS, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, called for stronger collaboration among government, religious organisations and communities in tackling insecurity.
He also advocated greater investment in education and skills development to reduce the vulnerability of young people to radicalisation and criminal recruitment.
The conference was attended by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CFR, who represented President Tinubu; Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani; Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi; Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum; Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, CFR; APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa; JIBWIS National Chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Bala Lau; and the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
Senior government officials, religious and traditional leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society representatives and other distinguished guests also attended the conference.
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Cover Photo Caption, R–L: Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, fnipr; National Chairman, Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullah Bala Lau; Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CFR; Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Scholars, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa; President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, CFR; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; and other dignitaries, including the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, and Governor of Jigawa State, Malam Umar Namadi, during the International Conference on Diversity and Social Peace for a Promising Future on August 11, 2026, in Abuja. Photo: Khalid Ahmed/FMINO.
