The United Kingdom has called for greater tolerance by adherents of different faiths in Nigeria.
British Special Envoy for Freedom for Religious or Belief, David Smith said this at the conclusion of a three-day visit to Nigeria.
According to a statement from the British High Commission, Smith, who is a Member of Parliament, held a wide range of meetings with senior Nigerian government officials, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and local communities.
The statement added that the envoy remains optimistic that the cohesion he saw on a community level during the visit in the capital, Abuja could be achieved nation-wide with deepening of dialogue between leaders of various faiths.
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Smith held discussions with the co-chairs of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, who is President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, who is President-General of the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs as well as the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of Information , Mohammed Idris, and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau state.
The visit by the Special Envoy also included a roundtable with partners of the UK’s Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria, SPRiNG) programme- a £38 million UK government-funded conflict and resilience programme operating primarily in Kaduna, Katsina, Benue and Plateau states.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
