Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III dismissed claims of a planned “Islamisation” of Nigeria on Wednesday. The President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs described such narratives as impossible and divisive.
Abubakar spoke at the First Triennial Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja. He affirmed that Muslims held no agenda to dismantle the Christian population. He added that God brought both faiths together for a purpose.
The Sultan, who also serves as Co-Chairman of NIREC, stressed that the council provided a vital platform for dialogue. He noted that dialogue remained the only instrument to set the nation free. Abubakar said he had not missed any meeting in his 20 years on the council.
“We believe talking is better than fighting,” Abubakar stated. “Let us understand our differences rather than trying to forget them; I am a Muslim, you are a Christian, and we must live together with respect.”
Abubakar addressed the theme of religious literacy and warned against the rise of self-styled clerics. He said these clerics lacked deep theological knowledge. He pointed out that knowing Arabic did not make one an Islamic scholar.
The Sultan urged religious leaders to become literate enough to guide followers correctly. He called on them to prevent the weaponisation of faith for selfish or political gains.
Abubakar took a firm stand against religious profiling of criminals. He insisted that bandits and terrorists should be called by their names. He stated that any individual who took an innocent life under the guise of religion was going to hell. He quoted Islamic teaching that killing one human being equated to the destruction of all humanity.
He lamented that more Muslims had actually died in the madness of banditry and terrorism across the North. Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Abubakar called for increased trust between faith leaders and followers.
