By Abdullahi Alhassan
Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria
November 2, 2025(Series News Online)
The Arewa Peace Foundation has issued a fervent appeal to the global community, particularly the United States and its allies, to adopt an impartial and fact-based stance in addressing the intricate issues of religious violence and insecurity plaguing Nigeria. In a strongly worded statement, Bashar Maianguwa, Founder and President of the Arewa Peace Foundation, expressed deep concern over the escalating humanitarian and security crises in Nigeria, which have resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives across various faiths and regions.
Maianguwa lamented that public discourse, both domestically and internationally, often perpetuates a skewed narrative that unfairly casts Muslims as aggressors and Christians as sole victims. "Exhaustive research and on-ground evidence consistently reveal that a significant majority of victims of Boko Haram, IS-affiliated groups, and other terrorist organizations in northern Nigeria are, in fact, Muslims," he asserted.
The statement highlighted the tragic assassinations of prominent Muslim clerics who spoke out against extremist ideologies, including Sheikh Ja'afar Mahmud Adam, Sheikh Muhammad Auwal Albani Zaria, and Sheikh Umaru Hamza Dan-Maishiyya, among others. Maianguwa emphasized that these heinous killings underscore the fact that terrorism has no religious affiliation and that the narrative of religious violence in Nigeria is far more complex than often reported.
The Arewa Peace Foundation urged the United States Department of State, the European Union, and United Nations agencies to uphold uniform standards of human rights advocacy for all victims of violence, regardless of their faith. "We implore these international bodies to acknowledge the humanity in every Nigerian, irrespective of their religious beliefs, and to condemn all acts of violence without prejudice," Maianguwa pleaded.
The organization also expressed concern about the inconsistency in some Western policy circles that criticize Nigeria's domestic security operations while failing to hold accountable those responsible for the global proliferation of arms and funding that fuel extremist networks. "Nigeria is a sovereign democracy that welcomes collaboration based on mutual respect, interest, and transparency, but will not tolerate any external attempt to politicize religion or undermine its constitutional institutions," Maianguwa stressed.
The Arewa Peace Foundation called on faith-based organizations, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), to shun inflammatory rhetoric and work together towards credible peace initiatives. "The violence ravaging Nigeria is not a religious conflict, but a collective tragedy that demands a unified and rational response," Maianguwa emphasized.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace and unity in Nigeria and urged all stakeholders to work together towards a more peaceful and prosperous future for all Nigerians.
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Peace