Nigerian

Feb. 6 (UPI) — A group of prominent Nigerian religious and traditional leaders visited Washington, D.C. this week seeking understanding and support for addressing their country’s critical security situation as a result of ethnic and religious based violence.

The group comprised three Christian leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, and three Muslim imams, one of whom is also a traditional ruler in Zamfara state in northwestern Nigeria.

Last Wednesday they briefed international stakeholders on the current state of the security crisis in Nigeria and discussed interfaith action priorities with potential international partners.

Ambassador Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and chairman of the 2026 International Religious Freedom Summit underscored the urgency of the situation. He told the working group, “If this moment is not wisely used, you could lose the country. I fear this is the road this is starting down without sustainable solutions. You don’t have a lot of time.”

The virtual disappearance of state sovereignty in certain rule areas where armed groups extort taxes, requisition harvests, and hijack local government was a central issue of concern. In addition, estimates of internally displaced people, or IDPs, as a result of armed conflict range from 3.5 to 8 million. Most IDPs are forced to live in hastily assembled refugee camps.

“This should not be possible in 2026,” said Cardinal John Onyaikan, one of the visiting faith leaders.

Nigeria’s fragile security situation had directly affected members of the visiting group. Alhaji Hassan Attihuru, the Emir of Bungudu, in Zamfara state, challenged the idea that kidnappings and killings were targeted on religious grounds. He himself had been kidnapped by members of his own Fulani people who were fellow Muslims.

Rev. John Hayab is a Baptist minister in Kaduna State, and the country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria. Students at a school his church ran were kidnapped and held for ransom. His son was one of a small group that managed to escape into the nearby forest.

The group’s visit to America was a follow-up to the Abuja High-Level Interfaith Dialogue, convened by the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria last December. The meeting produced a blunt statement challenging the federal government to do more to combat the violence.

It also established a Joint Interfaith Advocacy Committee on Freedom of Religion and Belief that agreed to increase peace messaging to affected communities and track progress on reducing incidents of violence.

Attending the dialogue in D.C. from the American side were representatives of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Global Impact, Religious Freedom Institute, Alliance Defending Freedom, the U.S. State Department, and American University.

Cardinal Onyaikan told those present, “Our problems are self-inflicted so we need our own solutions. But no nation is an island, so we also need support.”

The dialogue was co-sponsored by the Global Peace Foundation, Religious Freedom Institute, and Pepperdine University.

Summing up the meeting, Fr. Canice Enyiaka, Global Peace Foundation Director of African Peace Initiatives said, “Bringing the experience and insights of faith leaders here to Washington is very important because of the seriousness of the current crisis. Religious faith is a powerful force in Nigeria and I am grateful for all the organizations supporting religious freedom and human rights represented here.”

Yesterday, the Nigerian group met with Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV)who has been vocal about the violence suffered by Christians in Nigeria. He is said to be preparing a report on the security threats to Nigerian Christians for President Trump with options for how the U.S. government should respond.

The visiting group briefed him on the complexities of the situation and the role that interfaith cooperation at the leadership level can play in addressing it. Moore agreed to continue to receive their input after their return to Nigeria.

At least 297 Nigerian refugees have voluntarily left the Minawao refugee camp in Cameroon’s Far North region to return to their home country. On Jan. 27, they were transported in five buses, as part of an ongoing scheme to repatriate a total of 3,122 refugees from the camp.

The first batch of the refugees, comprising 75 households, returned to Gwoza Local Government Area in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, officially launching the fourth phase of the repatriation exercise. This comes in light of the Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum’s visit to the refugee camp in Cameroon on December 8, 2025. During this visit, he highlighted his administration’s dedication to ensuring a voluntary, safe, and dignified return for displaced persons.

The departure ceremony was attended by officials from Cameroon and Nigeria, as well as humanitarian partners from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Midjiyawa Bakari, the governor of the Far North region, praised the collaboration between the two countries and international organisations. He expressed hope for a successful reintegration of the repatriated individuals. 

“This homecoming is a testament to our collective resolve. We are not merely relocating people; we are restoring lives and rekindling hope within our communities,” Lawan Abba Wakilbe, the Chairperson of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation, said.

The number of refugees in the Minawao camp in Cameroon has recently surpassed 70,000, raising a significant concern for humanitarian organisations operating in Cameroon’s Far North region. Established in 2013, the Minawao camp is located approximately 70 kilometres from the Nigerian border and was originally intended as a temporary solution for those fleeing the attacks and atrocities committed by Boko Haram.

The camp continues to operate today. However, it currently accommodates more people than it was designed for, according to local sources. Humanitarian organisations in Cameroon and Nigeria have reported that the large refugee population in the camps is straining available resources and making it difficult to meet refugees’ essential needs, such as food, education, and medical care.