A group of prominent Nigerian Islamic clerics, the Ulama Forum, has strongly rejected Nigeria’s move to establish a security pact with Israel, warning it poses a threat to national sovereignty and is insensitive to the ongoing violence in Gaza.
The Forum has, in a statement, criticized the reported plan, linked to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, as “risky, undemocratic and insensitive.”
They argued that partnering with Israel amounts to a “betrayal” of the global effort to hold the country accountable for its war crimes in Palestine, especially as South Africa leads a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Instead of foreign intervention, the clerics insisted that Nigeria’s complex security challenges require homegrown solutions built on community engagement, social cohesion, and stronger national institutions.
The group warned that involving Israel could erode public trust, create new tensions, and foster an unsustainable dependency while weakening local accountability.
They urged the government to strengthen its own security forces and address the root causes of insecurity: poverty, corruption, and the need for prosecuting those responsible for violence.
The Forum called on President Bola Tinubu to stop the controversial plan, expressing full confidence in Nigeria’s own security capabilities.
“We remain confident in the ability of our security forces, with the right support, to confront these challenges. What Nigeria needs is investment in its own people, not reliance on foreign countries whose own records on human rights and peace are questionable,” they stated.
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