2027: Christian, Muslim Youths Sign Peace Accord, Warn Politicians Against Violence

Bennett Oghifo 

Christian and Muslim youth organisations yesterday signed an inter-religious peace accord in Lagos, warning politicians against exploiting religious differences and recruiting young Nigerians as political thugs ahead of the 2027 general election.

The organisations, the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) and the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), declared that Nigeria’s unity must not be sacrificed on the altar of political ambition, warning that the forthcoming elections would test the country’s commitment to peaceful coexistence.

They also called on youths across the country to reject violence, religious intolerance and inflammatory political rhetoric, insisting that no elective position was worth the blood of any Nigerian.

The groups made the declaration at an inter-religious peace accord summit organised by the YOWICAN South-West Zonal leadership in Lagos on Saturday.

Speaking at the summit, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, said the accord was designed to promote religious tolerance, discourage political violence and strengthen peaceful coexistence before, during and after the 2027 elections.

He expressed concern over the growing tendency among politicians to make derogatory statements against opponents, warning that such utterances could deepen mistrust, suspicion and hostility among Nigerians.

According to him, the country could not afford another crisis fuelled by political and religious differences.

“It is because we don’t have trust in one another, and when there is no trust, there is room for acrimony, suspicion and bickering.

“What we must do is what the youths have done today. Both Christians and Muslims have done well to bring peace and restore confidence in our great nation,” he said.

Adegbite urged Nigerian youths to take the lead in promoting national unity, expressing confidence that their example would encourage other citizens to embrace peaceful coexistence.

He said the accord was also intended to demonstrate to the international community that Christians and Muslims in Nigeria were committed to peaceful elections and would not allow political interests to undermine their relationship.

The CAN chairman stressed that neither religious organisation wanted Nigerians killed in the struggle for political power.

“When you go into Romans 12:18, it tells us to live in peace with ourselves. Even in the Qur’an, there are verses that speak about peace,” he said.

Also speaking, the National Secretary of NACOMYO, Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim, described the accord as timely, given the approaching general election and the need to prevent politicians from manipulating religious sentiments.

He said the Muslim youth organisation would take the peace campaign to communities across the country, beginning at the grassroots, to ensure that its members understood the dangers of electoral violence.

Ibrahim disclosed that the organisation was already engaging Islamic clerics and leaders to use Friday Jumu’ah prayers, Islamic schools and other religious gatherings to promote messages of peace and tolerance.

He said the mobilisation would focus on discouraging young people from participating in violence before, during and after the elections.

The Lagos State Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Damilare Orimoloye, said the summit was important in preparing young Nigerians to manage disagreements without resorting to violence as political activities intensified.

He noted that political competition would inevitably produce disagreements but insisted that differences in political affiliations and opinions should not destroy relationships among citizens.

“Peace speaks against violence. It is about how to tolerate each other and show love amidst misunderstanding.

“Certainly, there will be misunderstanding as we move into the election period, so we need to tolerate each other and speak love to one another,” he said.

In his remarks, the South-West Chairman of YOWICAN, Mr Nnamdi Obasi, said the summit was aimed at bridging the divide between Christian and Muslim youths and preventing politicians from turning them against one another.

He expressed concern over religiously motivated violence in parts of the country, particularly where Christians and Muslims had been victims of attacks, stressing that young people must reject narratives that promote hostility between the two faiths.

Obasi said Nigerians shared a common destiny irrespective of their religious backgrounds and should not allow political actors to exploit their differences.

He urged Christian and Muslim youths to see themselves as brothers and sisters, remain united and resist attempts by politicians to instigate conflict as the 2027 elections approach.

He maintained that sustained inter-religious engagement and grassroots mobilisation were essential to preventing electoral violence and protecting the country’s unity.