Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, held a high-level meeting on Monday with leaders of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The meeting, which took place at the Government House in Maiduguri, focused on strengthening cooperation between the government and religious groups to tackle insecurity and promote lasting peace in Borno State.
Governor Zulum stressed the important role that religious leaders play in encouraging peace, unity, and tolerance in society.
He explained that Borno State has a unique culture where families often include members of different religions living together in harmony.
He said people share meals, celebrate festivals, and mourn losses together, regardless of faith an example of unity that must be protected.
Zulum warned against spreading false narratives that try to paint the insecurity in the state as a religious conflict.
He emphasized that Boko Haram’s violence is not about religion but an attack on humanity as a whole. Both Muslims and Christians have been victims, and both mosques and churches have been destroyed.
He noted that while every life lost is painful, statistics show that more Muslim citizens have suffered deaths, abductions, and displacement. He said this shared suffering calls for collective action and unity.
The governor stated that all government reconstruction efforts are guided by justice, fairness, and inclusiveness not religion or ethnicity. He revealed that the state has rebuilt 45 Christian worship centres destroyed during the insurgency.
Zulum reassured all citizens that the government is committed to their safety and freedom of worship. He called on religious leaders to promote peace in their sermons and discourage messages that divide people.
He also appealed to the international community to support efforts to address the root causes of insurgency, such as poverty, illiteracy, and hunger, and to help strengthen the military’s capacity.
In his remarks, Mal. Sa’adu Ngamdu, representing the State Director of Administration of JNI, praised Governor Zulum for initiating the dialogue and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to peace and cooperation.
The CAN Chairman in Borno State and Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Most Rev. John Bogna Bakeni, said Nigeria’s problems must be solved internally.
He urged religious leaders to guide their followers positively and encouraged political leaders to act with justice, without discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, or politics, to build trust and peaceful coexistence.
