The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, have called for concerted action against extremism, hate speech and fake news.

 

The religious leaders made the call on Monday during a courtesy visit by Archbishop Gallagher to the Sultan at the National Mosque in Abuja.

 

Gallagher was accompanied by senior leaders of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, including Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama; and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah.

 

Speaking on behalf of the Sultan after the closed-door meeting, the Deputy Secretary-General of the NSCIA, Professor Salisu Shehu, said the visit underscored the importance of sustained dialogue between the two faiths in addressing growing social and moral challenges.

 

According to Shehu, the discussions focused on fostering mutual understanding and strengthening cooperation among religious communities to promote peace and security.

 

He said the Sultan commended the Catholic community in Nigeria for its commitment to peaceful coexistence and its collaboration with Muslim leaders through various interfaith platforms aimed at promoting national unity.

 

Shehu disclosed that one of the major issues discussed was the need to confront hate speech, which he described as a major threat to peaceful coexistence and a source of distrust and division among religious communities.

 

“There was a strong call for all religious and faith communities to work together to combat hate speech, especially the growing trend of insulting religious leaders and revered personalities. Respect for one another is essential to building a peaceful society,” he said.

 

He added that both sides also expressed concern over the spread of fake news, describing misinformation as a dangerous tool capable of fuelling conflict and instability.

 

The meeting also examined what Shehu described as growing moral degeneration across the world and stressed the responsibility of religious leaders to uphold moral values and provide ethical guidance to society.

 

He said: “Therefore, there was a strong call for all religious and faith communities to work together to combat hate speech, especially the growing and unfortunate phenomenon whereby some individuals openly insult religious leaders who are highly respected within their various faith communities.

 

“There was also a call to tame such behaviour and ensure that people refrain from insulting not only important religious figures but even ordinary individuals, who equally deserve respect.

 

“Another issue discussed was the need to fight fake news. Fake news is another evil being used to precipitate a lot of trouble in the country, and therefore, it is something that we must collectively confront.

 

He added that the discussions touched on concerns of growing rejection of God among some young people, with both Christian and Muslim leaders agreeing on the need for greater engagement with the younger generation through faith-based initiatives.

 

“There was also a discussion on the need to address the overall moral perversion that is holding sway in the world today. We are witnessing a great deal of moral degeneration and moral perversion globally, and it is the duty of religious leaders and faith workers to ensure that these challenges are confronted”, he added.

 

On his part, Gallagher described the discussions as frank and enlightening, saying he was encouraged by the level of agreement between the Vatican and the Sultan on the role of religious leaders in nation-building.

 

“The visit has been very, very good. I was delighted to be invited by His Eminence, the Sultan.

 

“We had a very frank and illuminating conversation, and it was good to hear that many of our positions regarding the role of religious leaders, both on the Catholic side and the Muslim side, coincide.

 

“For me, this is a reason for optimism regarding the religious cohesion of the country and our shared commitment to working for the good of all Nigerians.

 

“There is a common view and a common conviction that Christians and Muslims, particularly their leaders, must work together for the common good of all Nigerians,” he said.

 

The meeting came day after President Bola Tinubu received Archbishop Gallagher at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 

During the visit, the President expressed Nigeria’s desire to deepen relations with the Holy See and said he looked forward to welcoming Pope Leo XIV to the country.