The role of Islamic Da’wah in promoting security and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria

Abstract EN

Nigeria is a country which heralded human rights and freedom of expression since its independence.

However, political, ethnic and religious crises flared up in various parts of the country immediately after the first coup after independence threatening a society apparently imbued with a culture of tolerance based on harmonious inter-ethnic and inter-faith relations.

In a flurry of conflicts, a number of militant groups arose and engulfed the regions of the country with various forms of violent actions.

The rise of violent individuals and groups gave a remarkable boost to the explosion of militant and violent religious and socio-political activism that threaten the country’s reputation for peaceful coexistence and threaten, too, the integrity of the Nigerian nationstate as well, which failed to protect the lives and property of many of its citizens.

Against the backdrop of this state of affairs, this paper looks at how this phenomenon of insecurity and violence could be eradicated or reduced to a minimum, in the socio-political and religious settings of Nigeria taking into account the role of Islamic Da’wah in promoting security and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.