Prominent Islamic clerics and political leaders across Northern Nigeria have issued a stark warning that the nation stands on the precipice of chaos unless immediate action is taken to address escalating insecurity and the dangerous exploitation of social media platforms.
The urgent appeal emerged from a special summit of Northern Ulamas held in Kaduna, where distinguished participants, including a representative of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Bamalli called for Muslim leaders to forge unity in confronting threats to national peace and social cohesion.
“This is the time to unite the Muslim Ummah,” the Sultan declared through his representative. “Our clerics must preach peace, tolerance and national unity in line with Islamic tenets. Social media must also be regulated because it is increasingly used to spread division and hatred.”
The gathering brought together religious scholars, traditional rulers and federal lawmakers who expressed deep concern about Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation and the role of unregulated online platforms in fuelling discord.
Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa, stressed the importance of partnership between religious authorities and legislators to reinforce peace and effective governance across the country.
“Security is everyone’s business,” he stated firmly. “We in the National Assembly will support any initiative that unites our people and upholds Islamic values.”
Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, representing Zamfara West, offered a sobering historical perspective, noting that insecurity first took root in Muslim-dominated regions before metastating across the entire nation. He urged communities to engage in internal reflection and grassroots action rather than pointing fingers elsewhere.
The senator also cautioned against policies that deepen economic hardship and create dependency, arguing that Nigerians must embrace diligent work and economic pragmatism to overcome current challenges.
On the contentious issue of fake news and hate speech proliferating online, Yari warned that social media abuse poses a threat to every Nigerian, advocating for sensible regulation that does not stifle legitimate freedom of expression.
Renowned Islamic scholar Ahmad Gumi drew connections between poverty, banditry and external interference, alleging that “outsiders covet Nigeria’s mineral wealth and exploit uneducated herders as pawns.”
Gumi made an impassioned plea for dialogue among various Islamic sects to tackle poverty and insecurity through internal mechanisms and community-driven solutions.
Meanwhile, at the international level, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to global anti-terrorism efforts whilst addressing the 10th edition of the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting in Rome.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the Rome gathering yesterday, Abubakar characterised the meeting as “a very good and robust engagement” that showcased strengthening international consensus on the necessity of multinational cooperation, particularly in addressing security challenges plaguing West Africa.
“The major takeaway is that there is multinational cooperation in fighting terrorism. All nations believe that if one country is sick because of terrorism, in no time, it will affect the others. So, countries around the world believe that together, we have to work and fight terrorism,” he explained.
The Aqaba Process, established in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, serves as a crucial platform bringing together world leaders, security chiefs and policymakers to develop coordinated strategies for countering violent extremism and terrorism.
The twin developments—the domestic warning from Islamic leaders and Nigeria’s participation in international security forums underscore the gravity of the security crisis facing Africa’s most populous nation and the multifaceted approach required to address it.
