A congregation of prominent Islamic scholars from across Northern Nigeria has called for urgent and united action to address worsening insecurity and socioeconomic challenges in the region.

They deliberated on the root causes of insecurity and the role of religious leadership in finding lasting solutions during a special Northern Ulamas summit held in Kaduna.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Bamalli, commended the organisers of the programme and called for greater unity among the Muslim Ummah, regardless of sectarian differences.

He also expressed concern over the misuse of social media by some individuals in society, stressing the need for appropriate regulation to curb its negative impact.

The sultan further urged Islamic clerics to consistently promote messages of peace and unity, not only among Muslims but across all communities in the country, in line with the teachings of Islam.

On his part, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi emphasised the importance of dialogue among Muslim factions, warning that external influences and mineral-driven interests were fuelling the banditry in the north.

“This congregation is not against anyone but for the progress of the nation. Dialogue is crucial. If Northern Nigeria is at peace, the whole country benefits,” Mr Gumi said.

He called for the regulation of social media content through existing legal frameworks without infringing on freedom of speech.

Abdullaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, praised the summit as timely, stating that insecurity in the north had persisted largely in Muslim-dominated areas due to poor coordination, lack of economic opportunities, and misinformation.

“We can’t keep blaming the government. The perpetrators are within us. We must work together—from scholars to ordinary citizens—to end this menace,” Mr Yari said.

He also called for responsible economic attitudes, stating that the culture of seeking wealth without effort contributes to crime and instability.

In his opening remarks, a cleric, Bashir Umar, highlighted the surge in kidnappings, rural banditry, and economic hardship across the north.

The cleric stressed the need for collaboration among religious, political, and traditional leaders to save lives and restore peace.

He also warned against the misuse of social media to spread misinformation and incite conflicts, urging responsible communication to help the government understand the underlying causes of the crisis.

The summit also received the backing of a member of the National Assembly, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, chairman of the Northern Caucus of the House of Representatives, who expressed support for the initiative and pledged legislative collaboration.

The participants agreed that future editions of the summit should be expanded to include all Muslims nationwide and eventually establish a national Islamic leadership forum to address the growing challenges facing Nigerian Muslims.

They also urged all the eligible Muslims to participate in the ongoing continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise as a civic and religious duty.

The prominent Islamic clerics in attendance included Ibrahim Khalid, Abubakar Jahid, and Sani Yahaya-Jingir, represented by Mohammad Abdulmumin and Khalid Aliyu, secretary-general of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI).

(NAN)