Sultan, Vatican Envoy Voice Concern Over Hate Speech

Archbishop Gallagher says discussions with NSCIA leadership were “frank and illuminating” as both sides stress shared responsibility for peace and national cohesion

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Religious leaders in Nigeria must work together to confront hate speech, fake news, moral decline and growing religious intolerance if the country is to achieve lasting peace and social cohesion, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Vatican have said.

The appeal followed a meeting on Monday at the Boardroom of the National Mosque in Abuja between the President-General of the NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations.

PEACE Magazine gathered that although the meeting was held behind closed doors, officials from both delegations emerged with broadly similar accounts of the discussions, placing particular emphasis on interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence and a shared responsibility to address hate speech, misinformation and religious intolerance.

Speaking after the session, Archbishop Gallagher described the discussions as “very, very good” and said he was delighted to have been received by the Sultan.

He said both sides engaged in what he termed a “frank and illuminating conversation,” noting a strong convergence of views between Muslim and Catholic leadership on the role of religious authorities in promoting peace.

According to him, the discussions reinforced a shared conviction that Christian and Muslim leaders must work together in the interest of all citizens.

“For me, this is a reason for optimism regarding the religious cohesion of the country and our shared commitment to working for the good of all Nigerians,” he said.

Archbishop Gallagher’s visit forms part of ongoing Vatican diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening relations with faith leaders across regions, particularly in countries with significant religious diversity.

Prof. Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary-General of the NSCIA, who spoke on behalf of the Sultan, said the visit underscored the importance of sustained dialogue between major faith traditions in addressing national and global challenges.

He explained that Archbishop Gallagher, who oversees the Vatican’s diplomatic relations with states and international organisations, was accompanied by a delegation that included Vatican officials and leaders of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

According to him, the engagement focused on strengthening mutual understanding and expanding cooperation between religious communities in the areas of peacebuilding, social stability and security.

Prof. Shehu said the Sultan welcomed the delegation warmly and commended the Catholic community in Nigeria for what he described as its consistent commitment to peaceful coexistence and interfaith collaboration.

A key concern raised during the meeting, he noted, was the rising impact of hate speech in public discourse, particularly its effect on relations between religious communities.

Participants reportedly agreed that unchecked inflammatory rhetoric had contributed to mistrust and tensions, and called for coordinated efforts by religious institutions to counter such narratives.

The discussion also addressed the growing spread of misinformation, with both sides warning that fake news was increasingly being used to inflame divisions and destabilise communities.

Religious leaders at the meeting further expressed concern over what was described as a broader decline in moral values globally, urging faith institutions to take a more active role in addressing social and ethical challenges.

Participants also expressed concern about what they described as a growing trend of atheism and religious disengagement among young people, calling for renewed engagement by both Islamic and Christian institutions.

Prof. Shehu said the overall tone of the meeting reflected a shared commitment to dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation in addressing challenges affecting both Nigeria and the wider global community.

The NSCIA also expressed appreciation to members of the media present for covering the engagement.

The meeting formed part of continuing engagement between the NSCIA and the Holy See aimed at strengthening interfaith dialogue and cooperation on issues affecting peace, national cohesion and social development.

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