The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar III, has denied claims that Muslims in Nigeria are planning to annihilate Christians. Speaking at the first triennial meeting of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council in Abuja on Wednesday, he said, "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 added, "We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, it is not possible."
The Sultan condemned violence by bandits and terrorists, urging that they be called by their proper names. "Let's give bandits and terrorists their rightful names and treat them as such," he said. "We should stop calling them Islamic terrorists, even if they may be Muslims." He cited Islamic teachings, stating, "In Islam, if you take one life, it is like taking the life of all humanity." He dismissed the idea that suicide bombers shouting "Allahu Akbar" would go to paradise, saying, "Such a person's place is hell, not paradise."
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also spoke at the event. He urged religious and traditional leaders to promote peace ahead of the 2027 elections. "NIREC, through our traditional and religious leaders, faith-based organisations and youth associations, has the moral responsibility for strengthening the network of collaboration, grassroots mobilisation, youth education, peaceful co-existence, tolerance, security and protection of lives and property in our communities," Mr Akume said.
The Sultan of Sokoto denies any Muslim plan to eliminate Christians, yet the need to make such a statement reveals how deeply suspicion has taken root. His rejection of labels like "Islamic terrorist" clashes with the reality that attackers often invoke religion publicly. If Muslims are not behind the violence, then the persistence of religious framing suggests a failure to control narratives within the community. For Christians in Nigeria, the reassurance exists, but so does the lived experience of attacks often claimed in religious terms.
💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
