Christian and Muslim youth organisations have signed a South-West peace accord in Lagos, pledging to reject electoral violence, religious intolerance and attempts to recruit young people for political intimidation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The agreement was signed on Saturday, 31 October 2026, at the South-West Zonal Interreligious Peace Accord Summit in Alausa, Ikeja. The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) organised the gathering with the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO). It took place at the Bishop Stephen Adegbite Hall within the Senator Oluremi Tinubu CAN Secretariat.
In a communiqué issued after the summit, representatives of both organisations rejected political manipulation, hate speech and the use of religious differences to provoke hostility. They urged young Nigerians to participate constructively in civic life rather than allow themselves to be mobilised for violence by political actors.
The communiqué set out commitments to interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence, community engagement and continuing cooperation between Christian and Muslim youth bodies. Participants called on religious leaders, traditional institutions and political officeholders to discourage inflammatory rhetoric and support efforts to prevent election-related conflict.
Four representatives signed the communiqué: YOWICAN National Chairman Orowolo Ademola Daniel and National Secretary Nehemiah Michael, alongside NACOMYO National Secretary II Shehu Garba Ibrahim and Mudashir Ayokunle Bello, representing the organisation’s southern secretary. Their organisations said the commitments should be taken beyond the meeting venue into states, local government areas, schools and places of worship.
The Lagos meeting follows a national youth peace accord signed by YOWICAN and NACOMYO in Abuja in September. That earlier agreement was announced by the Christian Association of Nigeria after a national youth security summit. The South-West gathering provided a regional platform for discussing how the organisations intend to carry the message into local communities.
Speaking at the Lagos summit, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Lagos State, urged young people to reject attempts to turn political disagreements into religious confrontation. He attended as a representative of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. Adegbite also spoke about the need to rebuild trust between people of different faiths.
Former presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina, who attended the event, called for the peace initiative to reach other geopolitical zones. He said greater understanding of Christian and Muslim beliefs could help reduce suspicion and make it harder for political interests to exploit religious divisions.
YOWICAN’s South-West chairman, Nnamdi Obasi, said the initiative was intended to bring young Christians and Muslims closer together and discourage their recruitment for political violence. NACOMYO representative Shehu Ibrahim said Muslim leaders would take the campaign to communities through imams, mosques, Islamic schools and other religious gatherings.
Lagos State APC Youth Leader Damilare Orimoloye also addressed the gathering, urging tolerance when political opinions differ. The summit included representatives from the two faith communities as well as other civic and political stakeholders. Its stated theme focused on building bridges between faith and politics through Christian-Muslim collaboration.
The organisers’ commitments come as parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 elections. Although the agreement records the groups’ intentions, it does not by itself establish that violence has been prevented. The proposed community outreach and continued cooperation will provide opportunities to assess how far the undertaking is put into practice.
The signatories called for the peace message to reach local communities and educational institutions, and for both organisations to maintain dialogue beyond the election period. The accord remains a commitment by the participating groups, rather than a government policy or a binding agreement on political parties.
Featured photograph: Legit.ng, original image from the South-West Interreligious Peace Accord Summit, Lagos, 31 October 2026.
