Religious Freedom Key to Nigeria's Peace and Development

At a conference held in Abuja, stakeholders underscored the importance of religious freedom for fostering peace and development in Nigeria. Moritz Sprenker, representing the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, described freedom of religion and belief as a fundamental human right that underpins human dignity and democracy.

He noted that Nigeria's religious diversity should be viewed as an asset rather than a source of division. Dr. Toni Ojukwu, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, highlighted the need to address discrimination and violence against various religious groups, cautioning against oversimplifying Nigeria's security challenges as solely religious.

The conference aimed to explore the role of religion in peacebuilding and development, advocating for interfaith dialogue and stronger human rights education. Prof. Alexander G.

Rlach emphasized the significance of interreligious dialogue in addressing global challenges, while Barrister Benedith Agwu reiterated the necessity of a comprehensive national framework for protecting religious freedom in line with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards.