Feb. 6 (UPI) -- A group of prominent Nigerian religious and traditional leaders visited Washington, D.C. this week seeking understanding and support for addressing their country's critical security situation as a result of ethnic and religious based violence.
The group comprised three Christian leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, and three Muslim imams, one of whom is also a traditional ruler in Zamfara state in northwestern Nigeria.
Last Wednesday they briefed international stakeholders on the current state of the security crisis in Nigeria and discussed interfaith action priorities with potential international partners.
Ambassador Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and chairman of the 2026 International Religious Freedom Summit underscored the urgency of the situation. He told the working group, "If this moment is not wisely used, you could lose the country. I fear this is the road this is starting down without sustainable solutions. You don't have a lot of time."
The virtual disappearance of state sovereignty in certain rule areas where armed groups extort taxes, requisition harvests, and hijack local government was a central issue of concern. In addition, estimates of internally displaced people, or IDPs, as a result of armed conflict range from 3.5 to 8 million. Most IDPs are forced to live in hastily assembled refugee camps.
