By Philomina Attah
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that no effort will be spared to secure lives, livelihoods, and dignity across the country.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja, at a meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) with the theme “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria.”
Conveying President Bola Tinubu’s message to the council, Akume acknowledged that the nation has continued to face deep and painful challenges.
He highlighted how violence, characterised by widespread banditry, kidnappings, communal clashes, and terror attacks has inflicted severe trauma on communities across Nigeria.
The SGF said tha Tinubu deeply appreciates the co-chairmen of NIREC, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, for their unwavering commitment to peace.
“Our nation is still passing through the thorny path of diverse challenges.
“Violence has left deep wounds. We have lost beloved relations, teachers, traders and parents while too many of our children have known fear at school gates.
“None of these tragedies is acceptable to the government. The assurance from the President is that every Nigerian will be adequately protected and no effort will be spared.
“In the words of the President, this government will not relent until every Nigerian can live, work, travel, and dream in safety,” Akume said.
To achieve this goal, the SGF revealed that the Armed Forces, police and other security agencies have significantly intensified their joint operations across all zones.
“These ongoing campaigns are specifically designed to dismantle criminal networks, root out non-state actors, and fully reclaim every inch of Nigerian territory.
“Beyond physical operations, the government is enhancing intelligence gathering, improving rapid response capabilities, and strengthening security around vulnerable soft targets like churches, mosques, markets, and schools through the Safe School Initiative,” he said.
Recognising that military action alone is insufficient, Akume emphasised that security remains a shared responsibility requiring strong support from civil society.
He called directly on religious and traditional figures to leverage their influence, speak with a unified voice, and actively dismantle divisive extremist narratives.
“All religions must condemn the barbaric tactics of bandits and terrorists because they debase humanity and violate all that our faiths stand for. We must stand together today saying: enough is enough,” he said.
The SGF urged faith leaders to foster mutual tolerance within their congregations, champion respect for all places of worship, and prevent socio-economic frustration from souring into ethnic or religious hatred.
He further tasked community leaders with proactively mediating local disputes before they escalate into violence, while strictly warning against letting places of worship become arenas for political thuggery as elections draw near.
“Please issue the clear, unambiguous public message: that politics belongs in the ballot, not at the altar or mosque,” he said.
Commending past diplomatic efforts, Akume praised the peace accord signed in August 2026 by over 50 prominent Muslim and Christian leaders under the joint Muslim World League and NIREC initiative.
Looking toward upcoming electoral cycles, he announced that NIREC would host state-level peace forums before the close of 2026.
He explained that the forum would bring together police commands, officials of the Independent Electoral Commission, and local interfaith leaders to identify flashpoints and secure commitments to post-election calm.
He pledged that the Federal Government would continue funding regional peacebuilding workshops, supporting youth and women peace caravans, and combating targeted disinformation campaigns designed to provoke religious tension.
Akume highlighted plans to establish direct liaison desks between security agencies and NIREC to facilitate the real-time exchange of critical threat intelligence.
“Let me also emphasise the link between peace and progress: “No community can develop when fear stalks its streets.
“Every hour of peace is a business that can flourish”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Manual to enlist religious leaders in the fight against corruption.(NAN)
Edited by Philip Yatai