The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed fears of a religious agenda against Christians in Nigeria, insisting that Muslims are not seeking to eliminate Christians from the country.
The Sultan made the remarks during the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, where religious and government leaders called for greater dialogue, trust and religious literacy to address tensions across the country.
Speaking alongside Daniel Okoh and Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, the Sultan said many violent incidents in Nigeria were wrongly framed as religious conflicts, worsening mistrust between communities.
“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,” the Sultan said. “We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, it is not possible.”
The traditional ruler stressed the need for coexistence built on understanding and mutual respect, while urging Nigerians not to attach religion to criminality and insecurity.
“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. Even if someone claims to be Muslim, what they do goes against Islam,” he said.
Linking some of the tensions to ignorance and misinformation, the Sultan warned against false claims of religious 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 repeatedly emphasised dialogue as the only sustainable path forward for the country. “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. If you do not believe me, what else can you do? You cannot open my heart to see what is inside. We must trust one another.”
Addressing violence carried out in the name of religion, he said: “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.”
CAN President Daniel Okoh also called for deeper understanding between faiths, warning against reducing religion to stereotypes.
“Religious literacy is not merely the academic understanding of doctrines or rituals. It is the cultivation of awareness, sensitivity and respect for the beliefs and practices of others,” he said. Okoh added that many conflicts described as religious were often rooted in social, political or economic issues.
“Across various parts of our nation, we continue to witness tensions that are sometimes framed along religious lines, even when their root causes may be social, economic, or political,” he said. The Christian leader said the interfaith council had continued to prove that cooperation between religions was possible.
“Through NIREC, we have demonstrated that despite our religious differences, we share common values of peace, justice, dignity of human life, and the well-being of our nation,” Okoh said.
Speaking at the meeting, George Akume said ignorance and misunderstanding often fuelled division and instability.
“Where there is ignorance, suspicion can take root. Where there is misunderstanding, conflict can arise. But where there is knowledge and empathy, trust can flourish,” Akume said. He also urged schools, universities and community institutions to promote inclusive teaching about religions and worldviews.
“Education plays a crucial role… Schools, universities, and community institutions must prioritise inclusive and accurate teaching about religions and worldviews. We must challenge our assumptions and resist narratives that seek to divide us,” he said.
On security, Akume added: “We must do everything as a government to ensure that the terrorists who kidnap children who are willing to study must come to an end.”
