The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has called upon President Bola Tinubu to appoint a special investigator to probe killings in Nigeria since 2009.
The appeal was made during a State of the Nation press conference held in Abuja on Thursday.
Dr. Samuel Gani, Chairman of the Forum and former deputy governor of Taraba State, spoke on behalf of the group, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
Gani highlighted the complexity of the challenges facing Nigeria, asserting that indigenous ethnic groups did not initiate the ongoing killings.
He pointed to evidence suggesting an organized invasion by foreign elements and mercenaries posing as religious extremists.
Despite this, he questioned why the current administration had not taken decisive action against the perpetrators.
“NCEF is calling on the indigenous Muslims in Nigeria to calmly examine these issues and take positions that will be in the long-term best interest of their ethnic groups. What is going on is more than religion.
“That enemy is a foreign invader. The killings going on in Nigeria were not motivated by the indigenous ethnic nationalities.
“Unfortunately, some of the local actors were manipulated into thinking they were pursuing a religious agenda, but the puppet masters have no religious goal in view,” he said.
The forum also urged President Tinubu to implement the report of the 2014 National Conference without any further delay.