By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The Arewa Peace Foundation (APF) has appealed to the international community, particularly the Government of the United States and its allies, to adopt a balanced, transparent, and evidence-based approach in addressing issues of religious violence and insecurity in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Founder and President, Bashar Maianguwa, and made available to journalists in Kaduna, the foundation expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s worsening humanitarian and security crises, which have claimed tens of thousands of lives across faiths and regions.
The group lamented that both local and international discourse often presents a distorted narrative that unfairly casts Muslims as aggressors while depicting Christians as the sole victims of violence.
Citing independent research and verified field data, the APF noted that the overwhelming majority of victims of Boko Haram, Islamic State–affiliated groups, and criminal bandits in northern Nigeria are, in fact, Muslims.
The statement further highlighted the assassination of several prominent Muslim clerics, such as Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam, Sheikh Muhammad Auwal Albani Zaria, and Sheikh Umaru Hamza Dan-Maishiyya, who were targeted for preaching against extremist ideologies.
The foundation urged the U.S. Department of State, the European Union, and United Nations agencies to uphold universal standards of human-rights advocacy by recognizing the suffering of all victims of violence, irrespective of religious affiliation.
It also decried the double standards in certain Western policy circles that condemn Nigeria’s domestic security operations while failing to ensure accountability for the international flow of arms and funds that fuel extremism.
Emphasizing that Nigeria remains a sovereign democracy, the APF reaffirmed the country’s willingness to collaborate with global partners on the basis of mutual respect, shared interests, and transparency, while firmly rejecting any attempt to politicize religion or undermine national institutions.
The foundation also called on faith-based organizations, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and work together toward credible peacebuilding efforts.
“The violence ravaging Nigeria is not a contest between religions,” the statement concluded. “It is a national tragedy that demands unity, fairness, and a collective commitment to peace.”
