Interfaith Youth Groups in Abuja Commit to Peace Ahead of 2027 Polls

Youth organizations representing Christians and Muslims across Nigeria have formally entered into a peace agreement in anticipation of the 2027 general elections. This significant event took place at the National Christian Centre in Abuja on Friday, coinciding with the 2026 National Christian Youth Security Summit and Thanksgiving Service, which was themed: “Empowered for Leadership, Service and Nation Building.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the primary goal of this peace accord is to cultivate religious harmony, denounce political unrest, and foster peaceful cohabitation as the nation approaches the 2027 electoral cycle. The summit spanned three days, gathering security personnel, government delegates, church leaders, and youth representatives from all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), five CAN blocs, and Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

During his welcome address, Ven. Evang. Ademola Arowolo, the National Chairman of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), characterized the peace accord as a “covenant of hope and a declaration of unity.” He explained that its purpose is to mitigate electoral violence and reduce interfaith tensions from the national level down to local communities. Arowolo stated, “Today marks a defining moment in the history of youth engagement, faith-based leadership, national security advocacy, and interfaith collaboration in Nigeria. This Peace Accord represents more than a document. It is a covenant of hope, a declaration of unity, and a collective commitment by Christian and Muslim youths to work together in promoting peace, justice, dialogue, tolerance, and national development.”

Speaking to journalists, Arowolo underscored the sacredness of human life, imploring young Nigerians to refrain from engaging in political thuggery and vote-buying as the country prepares for the upcoming elections. He remarked, “The key objective of today’s gathering is for the Christian youth of this country to sit down and see that security is very important, because every life whether of a Muslim, a Christian, or any other faith is sacred. God Himself does not divide us; it is human beings that divide us in their own mindsets. An idle man is the devil’s workshop, but as elections approach, if somebody meets you for any violence, tell them your children should not come. We cannot destroy our own land.”

Echoing this dedication, Sani Sulaiman-Maigoro, the National President of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), asserted that interfaith solidarity is the most effective strategy to overcome security threats and political manipulation. Sulaiman-Maigoro emphasized, “First and foremost is for us to accept the reality that we are first Nigerians, and Nigeria is our country. Together we live and prosper, and when we are divided, we all suffer. When we work together, we are able to defeat the negative narrative and those few people who choose to be evil and divide us along religious, ethnic, or sectional lines. Nigerian Muslim youths are here in solidarity with Christian youths to say we are together towards securing and making Nigeria a better place for all.”

Representing President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), cautioned young people against allowing politicians to exploit them for destructive purposes. He stated, “We are meeting at a very crucial time in the history of our great nation a period when we are moving towards another election. It should be a period that none of you will be used as a sacrificial lamb. We don’t want any politician to use you and waste your life. The Muslim and the Christian in Nigeria must work together; we are brothers and sisters, and it is only when you have peace that you can talk of progress.”

Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, President of CAN, urged Christian youths to embrace their roles as nation-builders and moral examples. Through Rev. Simon Dolly-KIF, the Secretary-General of the Northern Christian Religious Leaders Assembly (NOCRELA), Okoh encouraged youths to transcend past limitations. He conveyed, “The time has come for Nigerian Christian youths to rise beyond the limitations of yesterday and embrace the responsibility of building the Nigeria we desire to see tomorrow. Let no Christian youth become an instrument of violence, hatred, manipulation, or destruction. We must refuse to be recruited into anything that destroys the lives and future of our fellow Nigerians. Nigeria is bigger than our ethnicity, denomination, and political differences.”

From a security standpoint, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), highlighted that peace is fundamental for youth productivity. Mr. Musa Likita, Special Adviser on Security and Intelligence to the Minister of Defence, represented the Minister and acknowledged the vital contribution of youth to national development through a comprehensive societal approach.