By Abuja, Nigeria
In an effort to maintain peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in the country, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) as a constitutionally guaranteed right and a pillar of national unity and peaceful coexistence.
The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit on Wednesday by a delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), The Kukah Centre, and the Nasrul-Lahi-il-Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) to the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
According to a statement issued today by the Director, Public Relations and Protocol, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Suleiman Haruna PhD, mnipr, the Minister, was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, who received the delegation on his behalf.
Speaking on behalf of the visiting organisations, the NHRC representative explained that the delegation was at the Ministry to present the reports and policy brief from the first and second phases of a joint project focused on establishing mechanisms for monitoring freedom of religion and belief in Nigeria.
“This initiative was launched with a clear purpose to strengthen peaceful coexistence and protect the fundamental right to religious freedom in Nigeria,” she said. “For the past two years, we have been working in partnership on monitoring and collecting data on violations of freedom of religion and belief.”
She noted that the first phase of the project focused on building trust and understanding among religious leaders, civil society actors, and community influencers through interfaith dialogue and a survey conducted across six states in the North and South.
According to her, the second phase concentrated on Kano and Ebonyi States, where an inclusive monitoring network was established to document real-time cases of FoRB violations.
“We wanted a situation where we can have evidence-based proof, so that when we are talking, we are talking from the point of knowledge,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary who welcomed the delegation on behalf of the Minister, described them as “critical stakeholders in peacebuilding, human rights protection and interfaith harmony.”
“I will reaffirm the freedom of religion and belief by the Federal Government, which is a constitutionally guaranteed right in Nigeria,” he said. “Freedom of religion and belief is central to national unity, stability and democratic governance.”
The Permanent Secretary further reiterated that the Federal Government views civil society and faith-based organisations as partners in nation-building and expressed the Ministry’s willingness to remain engaged on FoRB-related issues in the national interest.
