Nigerian Muslim and Christian peace advocates call for calm, unity amid US designation as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’

November 30, 2025

Following the United States' designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern due to religious violence, Nigerian peace advocates and religious leaders from both Christian and Muslim communities are emphasizing that Boko Haram's brutal insurgency affects all faiths equally, not just Christians. The militant group has killed approximately 35,000 civilians and displaced over 2 million people since beginning violent attacks in 2009, with former President Buhari noting that roughly 90 percent of victims have been Muslims. Various Nigerian organizations are rejecting what they characterize as foreign-driven narratives that could inflame religious divisions, instead calling for unity and locally-developed solutions to address the complex mix of ethnic, political, and economic factors driving the violence.

Who is affected

Christians and Muslims across Nigeria (both communities are victims of Boko Haram violence)
Over 2 million displaced persons due to the conflict
Approximately 35,000 civilian deaths attributed to the insurgency
Communities in Nigeria's northeast and the Lake Chad region
The 276 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in 2014
Forest communities affected by insurgent hideouts
Repentant fighters undergoing rehabilitation
Traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, and Christian leaders involved in peace efforts
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration
Nigerian security forces and local vigilante groups

What action is being taken

The Nigerian government is intensifying military operations and has successfully reclaimed territories from insurgents
Security agencies are receiving additional equipment and increased funding
Military and security forces are tracing and blocking Boko Haram's funding channels
Forest guards are being deployed across more than 1,100 forests used as insurgent hideouts
State governments are investing in rehabilitation and reintegration programs for repentant fighters
The government is engaging international partners including the United Nations and European Union for assistance
Professor Yusuf and other elders under the Concerned Nigerian Citizens banner are engaging traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, Christian leaders, and government officials to prevent conflict
Peace advocates are calling for unity and dialogue among Nigerians

Why it matters

This situation matters because it addresses fundamental questions about religious coexistence, national unity, and sovereignty in Nigeria's response to terrorism. The designation as a Country of Particular Concern and the framing of violence as primarily targeting one religious group threatens to deepen sectarian divisions in a country where Christians and Muslims have historically lived together peacefully. The conflict has already caused massive humanitarian devastation with 35,000 deaths and 2 million displaced people, and mischaracterizing it along purely religious lines could escalate communal tensions and undermine homegrown peacebuilding efforts. The debate also raises critical issues about foreign intervention versus locally-driven solutions, with advocates warning that external military involvement could destabilize the nation further rather than resolve the complex web of ethnic, political, economic, and religious factors driving the violence.

What's next

Discussions on strengthening state policing are being revived
Full implementation of the Armed Forest Guard initiative (approved May 14, 2025) with greater involvement of local communities and traditional rulers in recruitment
Continued engagement with international partners for technical assistance and training
Ongoing interfaith engagement efforts between Muslim and Christian leaders
Implementation of peace-building strategies including ensuring justice, equity, dialogue, job creation for youth, inclusive leadership, and ending corruption

Read full article from source: Global Voices