Religious leaders should speak out against those who would instigate violence based on religion, ethnicity or other factors, human rights organisations comprising Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, ADF International, and Vision Africa said on Wednesday. According to them, doing so had become necessary to stem the drift of the country into an era of unprecedented crisis.

The CSOs said that faith communities could no longer afford to remain quiet while Nigeria continued to drift along the cliff of crisis. The CSOs bared their minds in a communique issued by the Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Rev. John Hayab, at the end of the inclusive security dialogue and the inclusive youth dialogue against electoral violence programmes, which were jointly organised in Abuja.

All forms of violence against persons must be criminalised and culprits prosecuted according to the laws of the land; promote freedom of speech, especially the right to complaint; ensure that all complaints are investigated and appropriate actions taken; and take precautions to stop the escalation of violence in any community. We declare and propose that religious leaders should do more to promote peace for their communities and speak out forcefully against those who would instigate violence based on religion, ethnicity, or other factors. 

The two programmes brought together religious, political, and civil society leaders in the country and over 300 youth leaders to discuss and collaborate on areas of mutual concern and potential solutions to problems facing Nigeria.