President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria remains a target of terrorist groups because of its commitment to tolerance and peaceful coexistence rather than tyranny and violence.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Wednesday, Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria’s painful experiences with insurgency and extremism have proven that violence never ends where it begins.
“We are despised by terrorists because we choose tolerance over tyranny,” Shettima said while delivering the national statement on behalf of the president.
Addressing global security challenges, Shettima warned that terrorist groups across regions continue to seek ways to “poison humanity with hate and division,” urging the international community to work together in combating extremism.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria has made significant sacrifices in its fight against terrorism, stressing that the nation’s resilience lies in its diversity and enduring values of unity.
He called for stronger global partnerships, intelligence sharing, and investment in human development as long-term solutions to insecurity.
“The lesson of our bitter past is clear: violence is never confined to its starting point. It spreads, destroys, and consumes unless nations stand together against it,” the president said.
Nigeria’s statement comes at a time when world leaders are deliberating on peace, security, and sustainable development amid rising threats of terrorism, climate change, and global economic instability.
