Nigerians were urged to embrace tolerance and Unity.

As Nigeria grapples with persistent security challenges including terrorism and criminal activities, stakeholders have called on citizens to manage differences constructively, rejecting violence, discrimination, and hate in favor of tolerance, inclusion, and solidarity.

CBI News reports that the appeal came during a one-day engagement organized by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria in Minna, the Niger State capital, to mark the inaugural International Day of Peaceful Coexistence, observed globally on January 28. Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2025 through resolution A/RES/79/269, the day promotes awareness of diverse cultures, values, beliefs, and ways of life, while emphasizing education's role in fostering mutual respect and peaceful societies amid rising global instability.

Peaceful coexistence, is not the absence of differences but the ability to handle them without resorting to conflict or exclusion.

Reverend John Joseph Hayab, Country Director of GPF Nigeria, highlighted that true peace is sustained not just by policies but by core values such as compassion, respect, accountability, and shared responsibility.

He described diversity as a strength rather than a threat and lamented how narratives of fear, suspicion, and exclusion have long fueled violence, eroded trust, and fractured social cohesion across communities.

"Peace is sustained not only by policies, but by values compassion, respect, accountability, and shared responsibility," Rev. Hayab said. "For too long, narratives of fear, suspicion, and exclusion have shaped relationships between communities, which in turn have fueled violence, weakened trust, and fractured social cohesion."

Maurice Magaji, Niger State's Commissioner for Homeland Security, affirmed the government's commitment to non-kinetic approaches such as dialogue and community engagement to sustain peace in the state.

Nuhu Ladi, State Chairperson of the Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), emphasized the enduring role of women in carrying forward messages of peace, noting that such values must reside in the hearts of women to influence families and society.

Stakeholders collectively underscored that peace does not originate solely in formal settings like conference halls; it begins in homes, places of worship, schools, markets, and everyday interactions.

The event, themed "Promoting Tolerance, Inclusion, Understanding and Solidarity," brought together faith leaders, government officials, security personnel, women and youth representatives, civil society groups, and media practitioners in a unified call for national healing and cohesion.

This observance aligns with broader global efforts to build inclusive societies free from fear and division, even as Nigeria confronts ongoing threats to security and unity. Participants urged Nigerians to prioritize shared humanity and reject divisive rhetoric to foster lasting peace.