President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working closely with religious leaders to tackle insecurity and promote peace, tolerance and harmony across Nigeria.
Tinubu made this known on Saturday in Abuja while receiving Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, at his residence.
The President said interfaith dialogue remains central to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, stressing that religious leaders have a critical role to play in fostering unity and peaceful coexistence.
“My administration will continue to work on religious harmony among all faiths. Our bishops and religious leaders have been doing a great deal. Please tell them to continue the good work they are doing. Let them continue to preach peace and tolerance. We cannot have an excess of that,” Tinubu said.
He praised the Catholic Church’s contributions to education, healthcare and humanitarian work in Nigeria, recalling his long-standing relationship with the Church, particularly during his time as governor of Lagos State.
Tinubu said his support for faith-based institutions informed his decision to return mission schools to their original owners in Lagos after they were taken over during military rule.
“I understand the roles that the Catholic Church has been playing in expanding the frontiers of education, health and humanitarianism in Nigeria. It means a lot to us in Nigeria, and the country is benefiting from it,” he said.
The President also spoke warmly about Pope Leo XIV, describing it as an honour to have led Nigeria’s delegation to the pontiff’s inauguration.
“I appreciate the Pope. It was an honour for me to lead the Nigerian delegation to his inauguration as Pope Leo XIV. It was a moment of history,” Tinubu said.
“I see his efforts all over the world to promote world peace. We need his spiritual engagement, as millions around the world look up to him. I look forward to receiving him in Nigeria.”
Tinubu said his government remained committed to protecting freedom of worship and ensuring that religion does not become a source of division in the country.
“We are also doing a lot to guarantee freedom of worship. As you may be aware, my wife is a pastor at an evangelical church. This downplays the religious connotation that the religious controversy in our country might have taken,” he said.
On security, the President said the military had made significant progress in recent months and would sustain the momentum through increased funding and enhanced surveillance, especially in previously ungoverned areas.
He added that the government was also investing in young people to shield them from terrorist recruitment and radicalisation.
Gallagher, who is in Nigeria for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Holy See, described the country as strategic to the Catholic Church because of its large and vibrant Catholic population.
He conveyed Pope Leo XIV’s appreciation to Tinubu for attending his inauguration and praised the progress of Veritas University in Abuja.
The Archbishop described Nigeria as “the heart of Africa” and commended Tinubu’s efforts to promote peace, particularly through military interventions aimed at tackling insecurity.
He also thanked the Nigerian government for facilitating visas for bishops and for responding to the Church’s needs.
Gallagher said he looked forward to receiving Nigeria’s ambassador to the Holy See in the coming weeks and expressed confidence that his visit would pave the way for more high-level engagements between Nigeria and the Vatican.