A toll-free hotline geared at encouraging residents to report violations of religious freedom in Taraba State has been launched.
The initiative was introduced on Saturday during the screening of the movie, ‘Bridging the Abyss’, in Jalingo, the state capital.
Our reporter gathered that the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to promote peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in the region.
The hotline – 080-0000-2233 – which was announced by the Senior Project Officer for Search for Common Ground, SFCG, Habiba Gazali, emphasized the importance of using the platform to report instances where individuals are targeted based on their religious beliefs.
She reassured the public that measures are already in place to protect the safety of those who report such violations.
“SFCG has trained lawyers and human rights defenders to handle these cases effectively,” said Gazali.
She added that the initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen early warning systems for religious freedom violations not only in Taraba but across Nigeria.
Habiba, who also highlighted the organization’s ongoing work to raise awareness about the right to freedom of religion and belief, urged stakeholders to work extra miles to protect these rights, warning that violations would not be tolerated by the organization.
Also speaking, the Taraba State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Yakubu Musa, urged law enforcement agencies to uphold Section 38 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ right to freely practice their religion.
He also emphasized the need for an environment where everyone can worship without fear.
The event, which newsmen gathered was organized by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by security personnel, religious leaders, media representatives, herders, farmers, civil society organizations and top state government officials.