Umbrella religious bodies, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), have endorsed the Interfaith Code of Conduct (ICoC), urging Nigerians to embrace dialogue rather than division as a pathway to lasting peace, national unity and sustainable development.

The endorsement came at the Abuja Peace Conference, held as part of the eighth General Assembly of the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP), with the theme: “Hate Speech and Violence: The Role of State and Non-State Actors in Nation-Building.”

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the Co-Chairmen of IDFP, Abainatus Hamman and Ameer Muhammad, said the newly launched code of conduct provides a practical framework for promoting peaceful coexistence, preventing hate speech and strengthening national cohesion.

Organised by the IDFP, in collaboration with CAN, NSCIA, and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), with support from the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), the conference brought together Christian and Muslim leaders, government officials, peacebuilding organisations, civil society groups, traditional rulers, women and youth representatives, among others.

The organisers said the code was developed through a Nigeria-led interfaith process, in partnership with KAICIID, to address the growing religious, ethnic, political and social tensions affecting communities across the country.

They explained that the document establishes a shared value-based framework for Christian and Muslim leaders to prevent hate speech, promote responsible religious leadership, strengthen peaceful coexistence and support national cohesion.

According to them, the code outlines 10 guiding principles for interfaith engagement, including mutual love and respect, protection of the sacred, respect for human dignity, prevention of hate speech and blasphemy, peaceful conflict resolution, justice, integrity, transparency, accountability, respect for lawful authority, compassion and empathy.

The co-chairmen further explained that the ICoC is designed to move beyond declarations of goodwill and become a practical guide for religious leaders in sermons, public statements, media engagement, conflict response and interactions with people of different faiths and backgrounds.

Consequently, they urged all relevant stakeholders to uphold the principles of the code by avoiding narratives capable of fuelling religious tension or reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

According to the Acting Secretary-General of KAICIID, Ambassador António Ribeiro, IDFP reflects the shared humanity of all people and reinforces the principle that every individual carries dignity and respect, regardless of religious affiliation.