A Kaduna-based cleric, Yohanna Buru, has mobilised over 1,000 Christian and Muslim religious leaders across Northern Nigeria to appeal to traders against hiking food prices ahead of the 2026 Ramadan fast.

Mr Buru, the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, made this known on Friday during a visit to Barnawa Market in Kaduna South Local Government Area.

He said the initiative was aimed at encouraging traders to reduce the prices of foodstuffs and other essential commodities to enable Muslims observe the 30-day Ramadan fast without hardship.

According to him, Muslims across the world will begin the annual fasting and prayers in less than three weeks, making it necessary to engage market leaders and traders against artificial scarcity and price manipulation.

“We came to appeal to traders to reduce the prices of foodstuffs as Ramadan is approaching, so that Muslims can afford food and fully participate in the fasting,” Mr Buru said.

He explained that the interfaith campaign involved Christian pastors, reverends and Muslim scholars, who would visit markets across the 19 Northern states to appeal for price moderation during the holy month.

Mr Buru said the campaign would help discourage hoarding and arbitrary price increases, noting that rising food prices had made it difficult for many families to cope.

He added that similar market outreaches had been conducted annually for the past 15 years in Kaduna and other parts of Northern Nigeria ahead of Ramadan.

“This year’s campaign started at Barnawa Market and will extend to other markets across the North, including Sheikh Gumi Central Market and Railway Market,” he said.

Mr Buru also urged Nigerians to pray for peace, unity and economic stability in the country, warning that exploiting the holy month for profit would attract divine displeasure.

Speaking separately, Rev. Titus Ishaya Joshua said the visit was to encourage traders to show compassion by reducing food prices, adding that such gestures would attract blessings.

Similarly, Rev. Immanuel John, said the campaign was a show of solidarity with Muslims preparing for Ramadan and urged traders not to take advantage of the season.

Responding, the chairman of Barnawa Market, Mallam Abdullahi Suleman, commended the clerics for the visit and assured that market leaders would engage traders to ensure fair pricing.

He said traders who reduced prices during Ramadan would be rewarded by God.

Also speaking, the youth leader of the market, Gambo Abdullahi, described the visit as timely and called on Nigerians to continue praying for peace and unity in the country.

(NAN)