Chief Imam of Calabar Central Mosque, Kabir Olowolayemo, said that the current insecurity in Nigeria could be curbed if citizens respected each other’s religions.

Mr Olowolayemo stated this in commemoration of the Eid-El -Kabir celebration on Saturday.

“The major problem we have in Nigeria is that most of us are only concerned about ourselves without considering the ways and feelings of others.

“My advice for the entire nation is that if we want a lasting solution to the issue of insecurity and the lack of peace, it is for us to respect each other irrespective of religion and ethnicity,” he said.

He said religion should play a vital role in mediating between the citizens of the nation and should not be a divisive component.

Mr Olowolayemo advised Nigerians not to allow religion and tribal sentiments to cloud their reasoning in the task of nation-building.

“Nigeria is a secular state. We should not use religion or tribe as criteria for choosing our leaders, rather people should vote according to their consciences.

“Allowing our votes to be influenced by material things is not wise as these items will be exhausted in less than a week and our sufferings will continue.

“We must forget our differences and go for the most credible candidates who have the capacity to bring lasting solutions to the myriads of challenges we face as a nation,” he said.

(NAN)