The Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) has called on the Federal Government to establish a Special Council on Freedom of Religion, tasked with monitoring, investigating, and prosecuting violations of citizens’ religious rights.

The appeal was made in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of a one-day roundtable conference in Kaduna, themed “Building Synergy Among Faith-Based NGOs for Freedom of Religion or Belief.” The document was jointly signed by CHAIN’s Chief Executive Officer, Rev. (Dr.) Joseph John Hayab, and its Chairman, Rev. Yunusa Nmadu Jnr.

The forum, which gathered faith leaders, human rights advocates, and civil society representatives, stressed the urgent need for a national policy to ensure all faiths can thrive without fear or restriction.

A key recommendation was for governments at all levels to maintain strict neutrality in religious affairs. The communiqué warned that any form of bias towards a particular religion undermines the state’s moral authority and poses a threat to national unity.

“Nigeria’s peace and stability depend on the government’s ability to guarantee equal protection for every religion and belief system. The state must remain neutral to preserve justice and national cohesion,” the statement read.

It further emphasized that enforcing or promoting a specific religious doctrine is a direct contradiction to constitutional guarantees, asserting that freedom of religion is both a legal and moral obligation for building an inclusive nation.

Other key recommendations from the conference included:

• Strengthening judicial independence and ensuring greater accountability from law enforcement agencies in handling cases of religiously motivated violence.
• Integrating Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) education into school curricula to foster interfaith understanding and tolerance from an early age.

“Freedom of religion or belief safeguards individuals, not religions,” CHAIN stated. “Our diversity should be a source of strength, not division.”

The conference commended contributors like Prof. Sam Amadi and Barr. Joseph Danboyi for their insights and applauded CHAIN’s leadership in promoting unity and peaceful coexistence.