By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The Arewa Peace Foundation has called on the international community, particularly the Government of the United States and its allies, to adopt a fair, balanced, and evidence-based approach in addressing issues related to religious violence and insecurity in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Founder and President, Bashar Maianguwa, and made available to journalists in Kaduna, the organization expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian and security crises in the country, which have claimed thousands of lives across different faiths and regions.
The foundation decried what it described as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s complex security challenges, noting that public debates both within and outside the country often project a one-sided narrative that unfairly portrays Muslims as aggressors while depicting Christians as the only victims.
According to the statement, independent studies and verified field data indicate that a majority of victims of Boko Haram, IS-affiliated groups, and criminal bandits in northern Nigeria are Muslims themselves.
The foundation also cited examples of prominent Islamic clerics who were assassinated for preaching against extremism, including Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam, Sheikh Muhammad Auwal Albani Zaria, and Sheikh Umaru Hamza Dan-Maishiyya, among others.
The Arewa Peace Foundation therefore urged the U.S. Department of State, European Union, and United Nations agencies to apply consistent human rights standards to all victims of violence, regardless of their religious affiliation.
It further criticized the inconsistency in certain Western policy circles that condemn Nigeria’s domestic security operations while offering limited accountability for the international flow of arms and funds fueling extremist activities.
“Nigeria remains a sovereign democracy that welcomes partnership based on respect, mutual interest, and transparency,” the statement read. “However, we reject any external attempt to politicize religion or undermine our constitutional institutions.”
The organization also called on faith-based organizations such as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to reject inflammatory rhetoric and collaborate on credible peace-building initiatives.
The foundation stressed that the ongoing violence in Nigeria should not be seen as a contest between religions but as a shared national tragedy requiring collective and rational action from all stakeholders.
