Lawmaker Warns Against Foreign Rhetoric Capable of Fuelling Religious Tension in Nigeria

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

Senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, has cautioned against what he described as inflammatory foreign rhetoric capable of worsening Nigeria’s fragile security situation, accusing United States Senator Ted Cruz of promoting a narrative that could inflame religious tensions in the country.

In a statement issued yesterday, Sumaila said Cruz’s persistent campaign to have Nigeria redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution misrepresented the country’s security realities and undermined efforts aimed at promoting peace and national unity.

According to the senator, Nigeria’s security challenges are far more complex than being defined along religious lines, stressing that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and insurgency have claimed victims across all faiths and ethnic groups.

He argued that portraying the country’s insecurity as a purely religious conflict distorts the facts, deepens divisions and risks encouraging foreign policies that do not reflect the realities on the ground.

Sumaila noted that the administration of US President Donald Trump had previously removed Nigeria from the CPC list after what he described as verified progress and sustained diplomatic engagement.

He, however, expressed concern that Cruz had continued to push for Nigeria’s relisting, insisting that such advocacy appeared to be driven by a narrow narrative rather than an objective assessment of the country’s security situation.

The lawmaker urged Christians in Nigeria and across the world to carefully examine the facts before accepting narratives capable of promoting religious division.

He maintained that genuine friends of Nigeria should support peace, reconciliation, interfaith cooperation, sustainable development and respect for the country’s sovereignty instead of amplifying narratives that could worsen existing tensions.

Sumaila also paid tribute to members of the Nigerian security forces, noting that Christians and Muslims continue to serve side by side in the fight against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.

He said the country’s security personnel had made enormous sacrifices in protecting lives and property, regardless of the religion or ethnicity of those under attack.

According to him, churches, mosques, markets, schools and rural communities have all been targets of violent attacks, underscoring the fact that insecurity remains a national challenge rather than a sectarian conflict.

The senator warned that ignoring these realities in favour of divisive political narratives would diminish the sacrifices made by victims of insecurity and those working to restore peace across the country.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s sovereignty, insisting that the country’s diversity remained its greatest strength and that foreign political actors should refrain from exploiting its internal challenges for ideological or political objectives.

 Sumaila called on the international community, diplomatic partners, media organisations and Nigerians of all religious and ethnic backgrounds to reject divisive rhetoric and instead s

upport initiatives that promote peace, national unity, security and sustainable development.

He stressed that resolving Nigeria’s security challenges requires cooperation, balanced engagement and an appreciation of the country’s complex realities rather than narratives capable of heightening religious polarisation.

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