A peace summit held in Abuja on Friday, November 21, 2025, transformed into a powerful platform for condemning Nigeria's political leadership over the nation's deteriorating security situation. The event, convened by former Senator Shehu Sani, featured strong criticisms from prominent Christian and Muslim clerics who unanimously warned that the country is caught in a vicious and worsening cycle of violence.
A Scathing Indictment of Leadership
Senator Shehu Sani did not mince words, launching a direct accusation against the government for what he described as abandoning its citizens and suppressing the truth. He highlighted a critical failure in military management, pointing out that despite consistently high defence allocations, soldiers on the front lines are left without adequate equipment to perform their duties effectively.
Sani traced a distressing 15-year pattern of mass abductions, referencing the infamous Chibok girls, the Greenfield University kidnapping, and the recent seizure of over 100 children in Niger State. He lamented that religious leaders are often only summoned to act as "fire brigades" during crises, rather than being engaged in proactive, lasting solutions. In a poignant challenge to the nation, he asked, "If your Christian brother is not your enemy, and your Imam brother is not your enemy, then who is the enemy? Those in government who refuse to act." He declared that truth and accountability are non-negotiable for the country's salvation.
Clerics Echo Calls for Action and International Help
The summit resonated with the voices of clerics from both major faiths, who echoed the deep-seated frustrations of ordinary Nigerians. Archbishop Dr. James F. Malgit provided a harrowing account of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Plateau State's Bokkos Local Government Area. He detailed how communities have been displaced, homes and churches destroyed, and families left deeply traumatized. "They have turned our women into widows, our children into cowards," he stated, calling for urgent international intervention where the Nigerian government's response has failed.
Adding his voice, Malam Abubakar Sede, the Chief Imam of Kaduna Polytechnic, questioned the sincerity and competence of the nation's political leaders. He accused the authorities of allowing insecurity to fester and flourish, issuing a stern warning that political power is temporary and that leaders will ultimately be held accountable before God.
From Words to Deeds: A Rejection of Empty Promises
In a decisive move that underscored the summit's frustration with bureaucracy, Shehu Sani rejected the issuance of a formal communiqué. He insisted that Nigerians do not need another document filled with promises; they need concrete and immediate action. He urged his fellow clerics to speak directly and forcefully to the nation, warning that if their voices continue to be ignored, it might push citizens to seek or welcome foreign intervention.
The criticisms come amid recent security tragedies that have gripped the nation. Just days before the summit, on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu expressed his depression over two specific incidents: the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba and other soldiers in Borno State. In a post on X, the President stated that he had directed security agencies to act swiftly to rescue the girls and respond decisively to the uptick in violent extremism. He also called on Nigerian communities to support security forces by providing timely information.
