By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Muslims from across Northern Nigeria joined Christians in Kaduna on Christmas Day 2025 for a landmark interfaith service aimed at promoting peace, unity, and religious tolerance.The event, held at Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry in Kaduna, brought together Muslim youths, women, and leading Islamic scholars alongside Christian worshippers to celebrate Christmas and strengthen Christian–Muslim relations in the region.Speaking at the service, the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Dr. Yohanna Buru (Garkuwan Arewa), said the participation of Muslims in the church’s Christmas celebration has become an established tradition spanning over 15 years.According to Pastor Buru, Muslim participants travelled from all 19 Northern states to mark the birth of Jesus Christ and reaffirm their shared commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding.
He disclosed that attendees included members of different Islamic sects such as Tijjaniyya, Sunni Muslims, and Shi’ite groups under the Islamic Movement, all united by the goal of fostering interfaith harmony.“This is the 15th consecutive year Muslims and Christians have come together for this historic Christmas peace service,” Pastor Buru said. “It is designed to strengthen relationships and promote unity across religious divides.”As part of the celebration, Muslim delegations presented gifts to the church as symbols of friendship, love, and solidarity between the two faiths.
Pastor Buru described the gesture as a reflection of shared humanity and collective responsibility to live together peacefully, especially amid Nigeria’s current social and economic challenges.He noted that the celebration took place against the backdrop of insecurity, economic hardship, rising food prices, poverty, and unemployment, stressing that interfaith cooperation remains vital to national stability.
Over the years, he added, hundreds of Muslims have consistently attended the church’s annual Christmas services, highlighting the growing strength of interreligious engagement in Northern Nigeria. Pastor Buru called on religious leaders across faiths to intensify prayers for peace and urged Nigerians to support the Nigerian Army and other security agencies working to address security threats.“We are all children of Adam and Eve. We worship one God, have holy books, and believe in accountability in the hereafter. These shared values should unite us,” he said.
He also expressed appreciation to Muslim leaders who have participated in the Christmas service for more than a decade.Speaking on behalf of the Muslim participants, Islamic scholar Sheikh Salihu Mai Barota said the delegation attended the service to celebrate with Christians and promote peace, unity, and religious tolerance.“We are here to strengthen our relationship with our Christian brothers and sisters,” he said, urging both faiths to continue praying for peace and stability while calling on youths to shun religious violence and avoid spreading misinformation on social media. Also speaking, Imam Ibrahim Musa, an Islamic school leader from Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, congratulated Christians on the Christmas celebration and appealed to youths to support government efforts toward unity and peaceful coexistence.
He noted that Muslims and Christians regularly visit one another during religious festivities, including celebrations marking the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as a sign of mutual respect.Imam Musa described the annual Christmas service in Kaduna as a strong symbol of interfaith harmony in Nigeria. The event also highlighted Pastor Dr. Yohanna Buru’s international recognition as a recipient of the 2022 United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week Award, presented by King Abdullah II of Jordan, for his commitment to peace-building.Other speakers, including Sheikh Ahmed Rufai of Kaduna and Mallam Lawal Maduru, called for sustained prayers for peace, responsible use of social media, and warned youths against drug abuse.
