Amid rising cases of religious violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the north, stakeholders have called for stronger accountability from government institutions, as the First Step Forum engaged local civil society groups to chart pathways for peace and coexistence.
At a “Consultative Dialogue on Religious Freedom and Peacebuilding” held in Abuja on March 22, 2026, the Switzerland-based organisation met with about a dozen non-governmental organisations working in conflict-affected communities to better understand the drivers of violence and the gaps in response by authorities and religious leaders.
The meeting, which had representatives of the House of Representatives in attendance, also focused on strengthening legislative oversight as a mechanism for improving accountability in addressing insecurity and communal tensions.
“We are here to listen, learn, and serve,” said Marc Jost, FSF’s executive director and a member of Switzerland’s parliament. “We want to support religious freedom.”
Civil society actors at the meeting highlighted what they described as a disconnect between government policies and realities at the grassroots, particularly the persistent absence of security in vulnerable communities.
“At the grassroots level, we do not see the impact of government policies. The government should come in and ensure the security of our livelihood and people. Not just by talking, but by coming to the communities,” said Maryam Abraham, director of programmes at the Empower Envision Foundation.
“The church (religious leaders) needs to give greater attention to the issues of women and children in terms of gender-based violence,” added Professor Funmi Para-Mallam of the Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in the Nigerian Society.
Responding, the FSF delegation acknowledged the concerns and pledged support for local initiatives.
“I am very touched by what you have shared with us, especially the stories and what it means to people. We will take what you have shared with us and discuss it. This is a first step for us in coming to you, and the next step would be to serve,” Mr Jost said.
Also speaking, former Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger urged NGOs to strengthen collaboration and leverage international partnerships.
“Your work just proves (that) your place as NGOs is irreplaceable. I also see the greater courage, which is very important because courage makes the difference,” he said. “The second key word is coalitions. You are able to work together and that is the future …. We will look forward to the ways that we can help.”
Gudrun Kugler, another member of the delegation, emphasised the need for stronger engagement between civil society and lawmakers to drive policy change.
“It’s not always the case (that) NGOs know how to access legislators. (In such situations) NGOs need to find people in each constituency who will go to their representatives and say, “Here are my issues,” Kugler said. “Whatever we do, let us explore the possibility of sending them to those who can take action.”
Meanwhile, Amos Gwamna Magaji, who represents Zango Kataf/Jaba federal constituency in Kaduna, pledged to escalate concerns raised at the dialogue to the National Assembly.
“It gives me hope to hear that there are people seated here who are making efforts to solve some of the problems that we have. If you bring anything to me, I will take it to the relevant committee and see what can be done,” he said.
Religious leaders push for neutrality, collaboration
The dialogue followed an earlier engagement between FSF and Muslim and Christian leaders, which culminated in the “Abuja Declaration for Sustainable Peace and Religious Harmony.”
In the communiqué, participants identified weak security response, competition over scarce resources—worsened by climate change—and a culture of impunity as key drivers of violence in northern Nigeria.
They committed to strengthening interfaith collaboration to detect and de-escalate tensions early, while rejecting violence carried out in the name of religion and calling for equitable government presence.
“We call upon the Federal Government, the administration, to make the protection of the civilian population the highest priority, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation, ensuring absolute neutrality of the state,” part of the communiqué reads.
The religious leaders also urged the international community to support grassroots peacebuilding initiatives through technical and financial assistance, stressing that sustainable peace would require coordinated action anchored on accountability and inclusive governance.
