The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed claims of an alleged Muslim agenda to eliminate Christians in Nigeria, insisting that such narratives only deepen division and mistrust across the country.
The respected traditional ruler made the remarks on Wednesday during the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council held in Abuja.
Speaking at the gathering, the Sultan said insecurity in Nigeria should not be wrongly interpreted as a religious war, stressing that criminal activities must not be linked to Islam or Christianity.
“Today, as I stand here, I want to affirm that Muslims are not in a hurry and are not planning anything like decimating the population of Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
“We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, it is not possible.”
The meeting was attended by religious leaders and government officials, including President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The Sultan warned Nigerians against attaching religion to acts of violence, banditry and terrorism, saying many criminals hide behind religion to justify evil actions.
“Let us get the narrative right, it is not about religion. Let us stop bringing religion into it. Let us call them what they are, criminals, not Muslim criminals, not Muslim terrorists, not Muslim bandits,” he stated.
He added that even individuals who claim to be Muslims while carrying out attacks were acting against the teachings of Islam.
According to him, ignorance and poor understanding of religion have contributed heavily to tensions in the country. He said speaking Arabic or presenting oneself as a religious scholar does not automatically make such a person a true Islamic authority.
“The fact that you understand Arabic does not make you a Sheikh. Arabic is just a language. So literacy is very important,” he added.
The Sultan further stressed the need for continuous dialogue between Christians and Muslims, saying peaceful engagement remains the only solution to religious suspicion and national division.
“In NIREC, we believe in dialogue. No matter how bad things are, we believe in dialogue. When talking, you need to understand one another, not just tolerate,” he said.
He also spoke strongly against suicide bombings and attacks carried out in the name of religion, insisting those responsible would face divine punishment.
“Somebody can go to the market, blows his or herself up, kill people and shout ‘Allahu Akbar’. Yes, God is great, but you are going to hell. They will suffer for taking innocent lives,” the Sultan said.
