By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — Religious leaders, peace advocates and policy experts on Wednesday warned that hate speech has evolved beyond reckless rhetoric into a dangerous weapon capable of deepening divisions, fuelling violence and threatening Nigeria’s unity, urging both state and non-state actors to work together to halt the trend before it further undermines nation-building.

The warning comes at a time when inflammatory rhetoric, misinformation and growing social tensions increasingly spill from political platforms, places of worship and social media into real-world conflicts, prompting faith leaders and peacebuilders to insist that safeguarding peace is a responsibility that belongs to every Nigerian, not government alone.

Delivering the keynote address at the 8th General Assembly, Peace Conference and launch of the Interfaith Code of Conduct organised by the Inter-faith Dialogue Forum for Peace, IDFP, in Abuja, Professor Abubakar Sadeeque Abba of the University of Abuja argued that the country must deliberately tackle the twin challenges of hate speech and violence through coordinated action by public institutions, religious leaders, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, families and citizens.

“Hate speech is not merely a problem of language. Hate speech can become a weapon. It can create suspicion. It can dehumanise people. It can mobilise communities against one another. It can create the conditions for violence,” Abba said.

He identified ethnic profiling, religious intolerance, sectional interests, slander, attacks on communities and assaults on national symbols as manifestations of hate speech in Nigeria, warning that they continue to fuel distrust, conflict and weaken national cohesion.

According to him, violence in Nigeria has assumed political, economic, religious, media, family, educational and cultural dimensions, with devastating consequences for social cohesion, economic stability and inclusive national development.

Abba said the responsibility for reversing the trend rests not only with government but also with labour unions, non-governmental organisations, media organisations, corporations, religious bodies and ordinary citizens.

“The State has the responsibility to protect citizens, uphold the rule of law, ensure justice and create an environment where all citizens can live with dignity and security. But the State cannot do it alone,” he said.

The don urged religious leaders to preach peace, traditional rulers to strengthen community cohesion, civil society organisations to deepen peace education, media organisations to embrace responsible journalism and social media users to reject misinformation and inflammatory messages.

He also called for deliberate national policies aimed at promoting shared values, strengthening the family as the foundation of nation-building and encouraging citizens to embrace a common national identity above ethnic and religious differences.

Earlier, Co-Chairmen of the IDFP, Imam Dr. Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyu and Rev. Abainitus Akila Hamman Jr., said Nigeria’s growing religious intolerance, ethnic suspicion, insecurity, violent extremism and political tension underscore the urgency of sustained dialogue and collective action.

“Peace cannot be taken for granted. Peace must be built. Peace must be protected. Peace must be nurtured. And peace must be defended by responsible citizens, responsible leaders and responsible institutions,” the co-chairmen said.

They noted that while words possess the power to heal, inspire and unite, they can also destroy trust, provoke hatred and trigger violence if used irresponsibly.

“A careless statement made in a mosque, church, political gathering, community meeting or on social media can travel across the country within minutes and create consequences that may last for years,” they warned.

The co-chairmen said the newly launched Inter-faith Code of Conduct was designed to promote responsible religious leadership, peaceful communication, mutual respect and dialogue while rejecting hate speech, incitement and violence.

They urged development partners, diplomatic missions and international organisations to invest more in community peacebuilding, early warning and response systems, youth and women-led peace initiatives, conflict prevention and efforts to combat hate speech and misinformation.

“The future of Nigeria cannot be built by government alone. It cannot be built by religious leaders alone. It cannot be built by politicians alone. It cannot be built by civil society alone. It must be built together,” they said.

The conference also featured goodwill messages from partner organisations, a panel discussion on hate speech and electoral violence, a review of the Interfaith Code of Conduct and its formal unveiling.