Former Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has rejected claims that terrorists operating across the country represent any religion, insisting that those behind violent attacks are criminals exploiting insecurity to target vulnerable communities.
Tambuwal said extremists neither respect religious values nor defend any faith, arguing that their actions contradict the core principles of all religions. According to him, terrorists simply seek out soft targets and exploit divisions to advance violence and chaos.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday in Sokoto, the former governor of Sokoto State described the perpetrators of attacks across Nigeria as common criminals waging war against citizens regardless of their religious beliefs.
He warned against attempts to frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a religious conflict, stressing that Muslims, Christians and followers of other faiths have all fallen victim to killings, abductions and destruction linked to terrorism and banditry.
Tambuwal described the country’s security situation as “very concerning and alarming,” noting that worsening violence across several regions poses a grave threat to national stability and social cohesion.
He cautioned political leaders against politicising insecurity for short-term gains, warning that such narratives only deepen divisions and distract from the urgent need for effective security solutions.
The former speaker also urged the international community to engage Nigeria objectively, rather than adopting labels or assumptions that could misrepresent the nature of the country’s security challenges.
His comments came against the backdrop of Nigeria’s recent designation as a Country of Particular Concern by United States President Donald Trump, a move that has sparked debate over religious freedom, terrorism and state responsibility in Africa’s most populous nation.
Tambuwal suggested that reducing Nigeria’s complex security crisis to religious persecution risks oversimplifying the problem and undermining efforts to address its root causes, including poverty, unemployment, weak governance and the proliferation of arms.
He stressed that insecurity should be treated as a national emergency requiring cooperation across political, ethnic and religious lines, rather than being used as a tool for blame or division.
Security analysts say Tambuwal’s remarks reflect growing concern among political leaders that persistent violence, if not urgently addressed, could further erode public trust in state institutions and fuel instability.
As attacks continue to claim lives across different parts of the country, Tambuwal called for renewed commitment from government, security agencies and community leaders to confront criminal networks decisively and restore confidence among citizens.
He added that Nigeria’s diversity remains a strength, not a weakness, and warned that allowing terrorists to define the national narrative would amount to surrendering both moral authority and national unity to criminal elements.
