Hundreds of Muslims from different parts of Northern Nigeria on Thursday joined Christians at the Christmas service of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry in Kaduna, in a powerful show of interfaith unity and peaceful coexistence.
The General Overseer of the church, Pastor Yohanna Buru, described the gathering as a long-standing tradition, noting that Muslims from across the 19 Northern states have consistently participated in the church’s annual Christmas celebration for over a decade.
According to Buru, Muslims from various Islamic sects — including Tijjaniyya, Shi’ite groups under the Islamic Movement, and Sunni Muslims — attended the service to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and to strengthen bonds of peace, unity, and mutual respect.
“This is the 15th time Muslims and Christians are coming together for this historic event to deepen our relationship and promote unity,” he said, adding that Muslim groups also presented gifts to the church as symbols of love and friendship between the two faiths.
He noted that the celebration came at a challenging time for the nation, marked by economic hardship, insecurity, rising food prices, poverty, and unemployment, stressing that interfaith cooperation and prayers were vital for national stability.
Calling on religious leaders to intensify prayers for peace, Buru urged Nigerians to support the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in tackling insecurity. “We are all children of Adam and Eve. We worship one God, have holy books, and believe in paradise and hell. These shared values should unite us,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Islamic scholar Sheikh Salihu Mai-Barota said Muslims joined the celebration to stand with Christians, promote peace, and encourage religious tolerance. He advised youths to shun religious violence and avoid spreading fake news on social media.
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Similarly, Imam Ibrahim Musa from Igabi Local Government Area congratulated Christians on Christmas and urged young people to support efforts toward peace and unity. He said Muslims and Christians regularly celebrate together during major religious events as a way of fostering mutual understanding.
Imam Musa described the annual Christmas service as a strong symbol of interfaith harmony in Nigeria and revealed that Pastor Buru received the 2022 United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week Award from King Abdullah II of Jordan for his commitment to peacebuilding.
Other speakers, including Sheikh Ahmed Rufai and Mallam Lawal Maduru, also called for continuous prayers for peace, responsible use of social media, and cautioned youths against drug abuse.
