As Nigeria continues to grapple with worsening insecurity, the Guild of Interfaith Media Practitioners Nigeria (GIMP-Nigeria) has cautioned that the country cannot overcome the challenge without intentional and sustained interfaith collaboration with government at all levels.
The Guild condemned the persistent cases of killings, kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, communal violence and the exploitation of religious identities, warning that they pose a serious danger to national unity, economic growth and social cohesion.
GIMP-Nigeria observed that places of worship, highways, farmlands and entire communities have increasingly become unsafe, leaving many citizens traumatised and deeply polarised.
According to the Guild, reliance on military action alone has failed to deliver lasting solutions, noting that insecurity in Nigeria is driven not just by arms but also by mistrust, misinformation, exclusion and the misuse of religion.
“Nigeria’s insecurity is not only a security failure; it is a trust failure,” said the Chairman of GIMP-Nigeria, Mr Abdulkarim Abdulmalik.
He added that “interfaith collaboration is not symbolic. It is a frontline security strategy that government can no longer afford to ignore”.
The Guild stressed that a structured interfaith partnership involving Muslim and Christian leaders, media professionals and government agencies could significantly curb violence by countering extremist narratives, strengthening grassroots early-warning mechanisms, mediating communal disputes and discouraging hate speech.
It therefore called on the Federal, State and Local Governments to institutionalise engagement with credible interfaith organisations, support peacebuilding and counter-narrative programmes, and incorporate faith-sensitive strategies into national security frameworks.
“A government that sidelines faith actors in a deeply diverse religious society like Nigeria, weakens its own security architecture”, the Guild warned.
GIMP-Nigeria also appealed to media practitioners to exercise professionalism by shunning sensationalism, religious profiling and conflict-driven reporting, particularly during religious seasons. It said the media must promote de-escalation, factual reporting and national unity.
In addition, the Guild challenged faith leaders to speak with one voice against violence, collaborate with government to curb inflammatory preaching, and consistently emphasise that no religion condones the killing of innocent people.
As Nigerians celebrate Christmas, a season symbolising peace, compassion and goodwill, and look ahead to the New Year, GIMP-Nigeria expressed optimism that peace is attainable with courageous and inclusive leadership.
“Nigeria’s diversity is not a curse but a strength”, the Guild said. “The New Year must mark a shift from symbolic interfaith meetings to practical, result-driven partnership with government for a safer and and more united nation”.
