Those who claim Islam while spreading violence stand in direct contradiction to this teaching,” he said, in reference to insurgent groups such as Boko Haram. He stressed that conflicts, whether local banditry or international wars, eventually end at the negotiation table, and questioned why peace is not pursued from the beginning. “After years of bloodshed and destruction, people still come back to peace.

Why not choose peace first, before causing harm?” he asked. The cleric explained that the World Peace Movement’s vision is to reach all 195 countries with the message of peace rooted in Islam. He said the choice of Kano was symbolic, given its rich Islamic heritage and historical role in scholarship and leadership.

The scholar warned that material wealth alone cannot guarantee peace, citing rising loneliness and mental health crises in developed nations despite their prosperity. “In countries like the UK and Japan, ministries of loneliness have been created because people have shelter, food, and technology, yet they lack inner peace. Africa must preserve its communal and spiritual harmony,” he said.

He explained that the World Peace Movement seeks to “carpet the world not with bombs, but with the message of peace.” According to him, the initiative has already reached over 70 countries, with Nigeria being part of the broader plan to spread peace and prophetic character across continents. He said the Kano programme included lectures, mentorship, and community engagement, with a focus on guiding clerics and youth towards peaceful teachings. Earlier speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Khalifa Isyaka Rabiu University (KHAIRUN), Prof Abdulrashid Garba, said the lecture was timely as Nigeria battles different dimensions to insecurity.