THE Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerians to set aside religious, ethnic and political differences and unite against insecurity and other challenges confronting the country.

Idris made the call yesterday in Abuja on the sidelines of an international conference on “Diversity and Social Peace: A Partnership for a Promising Future,” organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in partnership with the Muslim World League.

The minister said the diversity of participants at the conference reflected a growing recognition that Nigeria’s stability and development depended on cooperation across religious, ethnic and political lines.

He warned that allowing differences to overshadow the collective fight against insecurity could worsen the situation and make efforts to restore peace more difficult.

“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 stressed that religious and ethnic divisions should not be allowed to provide opportunities for those seeking to exploit the country’s fault lines.

“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 person is important,” he said.

Idris clarified that the conference was not a Federal Government-organised event but said the government welcomed initiatives that promoted interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence and national cohesion.

He said sustained unity was also necessary for Nigeria to achieve its economic and development aspirations.

According to him, for the nation to advance and march towards prosperity, everyone must think and act together and come together as one people.

Idris also highlighted Nigeria’s strategic importance to the continent, saying the country’s stability had 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.

Barau said Nigeria would continue to work with international partners and relevant stakeholders to strengthen peace and stability.

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 exploit religion, ethnicity or poverty to divide the country.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for sustained dialogue and honesty in addressing the country’s challenges.

The Sultan also urged stakeholders to move beyond identifying problems to implementing solutions, while calling for renewed efforts to rebuild public trust and strengthen interreligious cooperation.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, urged Nigerians to regard the country’s diversity as an asset rather than a source of division.

Yilwatda said Nigerians might belong to different faiths and ethnic groups but shared common aspirations and faced many of the same challenges.

The National Chairman of JIBWIS, Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, called for stronger collaboration between government, religious organisations and communities in tackling insecurity.

Lau also advocated increased investment in education and skills development, particularly for young people, as a way of reducing their vulnerability to radicalisation and recruitment into criminal activities.

The conference brought together senior government officials, political leaders, religious and traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic corps and civil society representatives.