School closures driven by insecurity have become a direct threat to Nigeria's long term national stability, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, warned on Wednesday.

Akume, who spoke in Abuja at the first triannual meeting of the Nigerian Inter Religious Council, themed "Religious Literacy for National Cohesion," said shutting down schools in unsafe areas not only disrupts learning but deepens the country's education crisis. A statement by his media aide, Yomi Odunuga, conveyed the remarks.

The SGF called for stronger government policies on safe schools and violence free learning environments, stressing that children could not be expected to learn under conditions of fear. "A child cannot learn fraternity in fear; a nation cannot preach literacy while schools are under threat," he said.

Akume noted that religious studies were already embedded in the school curriculum but maintained that priority must shift to improving teaching quality through better trained educators, enhanced learning materials, and value based education promoting tolerance and responsible citizenship.

The SGF also directed attention to the 2027 general elections, urging religious and traditional leaders to take a more active role in preventing violence and building unity. He warned that faith based and traditional institutions must lead grassroots mobilisation, youth education, and peace building efforts to counter misinformation, stereotypes, and identity based divisions.

"The 2027 general elections are fast approaching, and religious and traditional leaders have a moral responsibility to strengthen collaboration, promote tolerance, and ensure peaceful coexistence in their communities," Akume stated.

He cautioned against the manipulation of religion and identity for political or economic gain, describing such actions as frequent triggers of violence and social unrest. The SGF also stressed the need to combine religious literacy with media and information literacy to combat falsehoods and hate speech, referencing Nigeria's collaboration with UNESCO on responsible information sharing.

Akume disclosed that the Federal Government had put measures in place to support religious and traditional Institutions in sustaining peace ahead of the elections, expressing confidence that the NIREC meeting would produce practical solutions for national cohesion.