Muslims Not Planning To Wipe Out Christians In Nigeria — Sultan
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed fears of a religious agenda in Nigeria, insisting that Muslims were not plotting to eliminate Christians, as religious and government leaders called for deeper dialogue and understanding to address the nation’s conflicts.
The Sultan spoke on Wednesday at the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, alongside President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Speaking at the meeting, the Sultan said many violent incidents in the country were wrongly interpreted as religious conflicts, thereby fuelling distrust among citizens.
“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.
“We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, it is not possible,” he said.
The monarch urged Nigerians to stop attaching religion to criminal activities, stressing that insecurity should be addressed without linking it to faith.
“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,” the Sultan added.
He also linked rising tensions to ignorance and 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 stated.
The Sultan further emphasised dialogue as the only path to peaceful coexistence, saying Nigerians must move beyond mere tolerance to genuine understanding and trust.
“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 condemned those who commit violence in the name of religion, stressing that such acts contradict Islamic teachings.
Earlier, CAN President, Okoh, described religious literacy as essential to building mutual respect and reducing tensions often wrongly framed along religious lines.
“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 noted that many conflicts labelled religious were rooted in social, economic and political issues, adding that NIREC had continued to promote cooperation across faiths.
Also speaking, Akume said ignorance and misunderstanding often fuel conflict, while knowledge and empathy strengthen trust and national unity.
He called on schools, universities and community institutions to promote inclusive teaching about religions and worldviews, while urging Nigerians to reject divisive narratives.
Akume also pledged government commitment to tackling insecurity, particularly attacks on students and schools by terrorists and kidnappers.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
