The Nigeria–United States Parliamentary Friendship Group has pushed back against widespread international perceptions that religious conflict is driving the country’s insecurity, insisting that most killings are criminally motivated rather than religiously inspired.
During a visit to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, group leader Jesse Oke-Joe Onuakalusi told Assistant Secretary-General Prof. Luis Franceschi that foreign narratives about a looming religious war in Nigeria were misguided. He argued that the violence across the country stems primarily from criminal activity, not sectarian tensions.
Onuakalusi also seized the opportunity to advocate for democratic reforms, specifically calling for amendments to Nigeria’s Electoral Act to mandate the electronic transmission of election results. According to him, replacing the manual collation system would reduce electoral fraud and bolster the credibility of Nigeria’s elections.
Meanwhile, in Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum has declared today a day of voluntary fasting and prayer as part of spiritual efforts to address the worsening insecurity in the region.
