GPFN deepens peace marketing campaign in Kaduna

The Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN) has intensified efforts to advertise spiritual freedom, tolerance and peaceable coexistence in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State by way of a Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) workshop for neighborhood leaders in Kakuri and Nasarawa.

The second-day session, held in Nasarawa, attracted greater than 150 members, bringing collectively neighborhood stakeholders to look at the rights of people to practise their religion, maintain private convictions or select to not profess any faith with out intimidation or discrimination, blueprint stories.

The intervention comes in opposition to the background of earlier tensions between Nasarawa and neighbouring Kakuri communities, which had raised considerations about the necessity to strengthen relationships amongst residents and forestall disagreements from escalating into wider communal or spiritual confrontations.

In May 2026, the Country Director of GPFN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, disclosed throughout an earlier peacebuilding engagement that the 2 neighbouring communities had skilled rigidity and confusion a couple of months earlier than the intervention.

Hayab had defined that the muse initiated a six-month peacebuilding programme to forestall a recurrence of the misunderstanding and strengthen social cohesion by way of dialogue, neighborhood engagement and non-violent communication.

He additionally disclosed that the normal rulers of Nasarawa and Kakuri had been consulted and agreed to take part within the peace initiative, demonstrating their willingness to work collectively in the direction of lasting concord.

The Sarkin Nasarawa, Mr. Adam A. Adam, had equally acknowledged that there was a disaster between Christians and Muslims in the neighborhood, however stated the state of affairs had been addressed by way of dialogue and mutual understanding.

The newest FoRB workshop due to this fact gives one other alternative to deepen the peacebuilding course of by addressing one of many basic points that may affect relationships amongst folks of various spiritual convictions: respect for the rights and freedoms of others.

Hayab: Religious freedom is a basic human proper

Speaking throughout the workshop, Hayab described Freedom of Religion or Belief as a basic human proper that should be revered by everybody, irrespective of non secular affiliation or private conviction.

He emphasised that spiritual freedom shouldn’t be understood as an expectation that individuals should agree with each other’s beliefs, however as an obligation to recognise and respect the rights of others.

“Freedom of Religion or Belief is not about agreeing with each other’s beliefs but respecting each other’s right to believe,” he stated.

The GPFN Country Director referred to as on spiritual leaders, conventional establishments and neighborhood members to advertise spiritual tolerance, mutual respect and peaceable coexistence.

He confused that each particular person must be free to imagine, practise a selected religion, change spiritual convictions or select to not profess any faith with out being subjected to discrimination, intimidation or coercion.

Hayab’s message additionally reinforces the significance of accountable spiritual management in communities the place folks of various faiths dwell, work and work together day by day.

He urged stakeholders to recognise that variations in spiritual convictions mustn’t turn out to be grounds for hostility, exclusion or the denial of different folks’s rights.

Facilitator examines constitutional and worldwide protections

Facilitating the workshop, Abdul Ahmed guided members by way of the that means, rules and authorized frameworks governing Freedom of Religion or Belief.

He highlighted Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which ensures freedom of thought, conscience and faith.

The provision protects the best of people to alter their faith or perception and to manifest their convictions by way of worship, educating, apply and observance, both individually or in neighborhood with others, topic to the constitutional provisions.

Ahmed additionally examined Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, each of which recognise freedom of thought, conscience and faith as basic human rights.

The worldwide provisions affirm that people have the freedom to carry beliefs of their selection and shouldn’t be subjected to coercion that may impair their freedom to undertake or preserve a faith or perception.

The discussions supplied members with an understanding that spiritual freedom just isn’t merely a matter of tolerance or goodwill amongst neighbours however a proper recognised below nationwide and worldwide human rights devices.

It additionally highlighted the accountability of people, neighborhood leaders and establishments to make sure that disagreements don’t translate into violations of the rights of others.

Practical workouts establish violations, promote peaceable responses

Beyond the displays, members engaged in sensible group workouts designed to assist them establish doable violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief and discover peaceable approaches to addressing spiritual tensions.

The workouts inspired members to look at conditions by which people may very well be denied the liberty to worship, prevented from expressing their beliefs, pressured to undertake a specific spiritual place or discriminated in opposition to due to their convictions.

They additionally thought-about how misunderstandings, intolerance, inflammatory communication and failure to resolve grievances might create tensions amongst folks of various spiritual backgrounds.

The sensible periods have been significantly vital for neighborhood leaders, whose positions usually place them on the centre of efforts to resolve disagreements and forestall native disputes from escalating.

By equipping members with data of FoRB rules and peaceable conflict-resolution approaches, the workshop sought to strengthen their capability to recognise early warning indicators and encourage dialogue earlier than tensions turn out to be extra critical.

Kaduna South’s historical past underscores want for sustained engagement

The significance of steady neighborhood engagement is underscored by earlier incidents of rigidity in elements of Kaduna South.

On February 16, 2026, a confrontation involving youths from Makera Village and Ungwan Mission reportedly escalated into violence over entry to an deserted Muslim graveyard.

Reports on the time indicated that youths from Makera had gone to clear bushes across the graveyard in an effort to reopen it. A disagreement reportedly arose after a youth from Ungwan Mission was prevented from passing by way of the world, resulting in a confrontation.

The incident left a number of folks injured and two homes burnt, though no dying was reported.

An emergency stakeholders’ assembly was subsequently convened by the Kaduna State Government, bringing collectively safety businesses, representatives of the 2 native authorities areas, spiritual leaders, youth representatives and different stakeholders to deal with the state of affairs and forestall additional escalation.

Although the February incident concerned completely different communities from the Nasarawa-Kakuri tensions earlier acknowledged by Hayab, it illustrates the broader significance of dialogue, mutual understanding and proactive battle prevention in Kaduna South.

The experiences reinforce the necessity for community-based interventions that tackle grievances, promote communication and forestall native disagreements from buying wider spiritual or communal dimensions.

GPFN reinforces dedication to inclusive communities

The workshop reaffirmed Global Peace Foundation Nigeria’s dedication to constructing peaceable, inclusive and tolerant communities the place everybody can benefit from the freedom to imagine, practise and manifest their convictions with out concern of discrimination or coercion.

The basis’s engagement displays its broader peacebuilding philosophy, which emphasises human dignity, mutual respect, shared values and the accountability of people to contribute to the wellbeing of their communities.

Through its One Family Under God marketing campaign, GPFN has continued to advertise relationships throughout spiritual and social divides, with emphasis on dialogue, cooperation and the popularity of the widespread humanity of individuals no matter their spiritual variations.

The engagement in Kakuri and Nasarawa additionally highlights the significance of involving conventional rulers, spiritual leaders, ladies, youths and different neighborhood stakeholders in sustaining peace.

Such participation is especially vital as a result of peaceable coexistence can’t rely solely on authorities intervention or safety deployments. It requires the willingness of residents to respect each other, tackle disagreements constructively and reject makes an attempt to take advantage of variations.

The basis urged neighborhood members to maintain the teachings from the workshop and make spiritual freedom, respect for variety and peaceable coexistence a part of their on a regular basis relationships.

It maintained that communities turn out to be stronger when people are free to carry completely different beliefs whereas recognising the equal rights and dignity of their neighbours.