* Rejects Islamisation claims, urges peaceful coexistence among faiths
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has condemned the religious profiling of criminals, insisting that terrorists and bandits should not be associated with Islam.
Speaking on Wednesday at the First Triennial Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, the monarch said individuals who kill innocent people in the name of religion are acting contrary to Islamic teachings.
“Any individual who takes an innocent life under the guise of religion is going to hell,” he said, stressing that Islam equates the killing of one innocent person with the destruction of all humanity.
The Sultan lamented that many Muslims have themselves become victims of banditry and terrorism across northern Nigeria.
Muslim News gathered that the Amirul Mu’mineen of Nigerian Muslims has, on several occasions, distanced Islam from the actions of bandits and terrorists, insisting that such acts are antithetical to the religion.
Alhaji Abubakar III also dismissed claims of a planned Islamisation of Nigeria, describing such narratives as divisive, misleading, and impossible.
He maintained that Muslims have no agenda to undermine Christianity, stressing that both Islam and Christianity were destined by Allah to coexist peacefully in Nigeria.
The revered traditional ruler further called for mutual understanding, tolerance, and stronger interfaith collaboration in addressing the country’s security and social challenges.
“We believe talking is better than fighting. 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,” he said.
The Sultan, who co-chairs NIREC alongside the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, described dialogue as the most effective tool for national peace and cohesion.
He noted that he had attended every NIREC meeting in the past 20 years, underscoring his commitment to interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.
The monarch warned against the growing influence of self-styled clerics whom he said lack proper theological grounding and often weaponise religion for selfish or political interests.
According to him, fluency in Arabic does not automatically make a person an Islamic scholar, just as Christian pastors in parts of the Middle East also preach in Arabic.
He urged religious leaders to deepen their understanding of faith in order to guide followers responsibly and prevent manipulation of religion.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Sultan stressed the need for trust between religious leaders and their followers, warning that national progress would remain difficult without mutual confidence.
He commended the partnership between NIREC and international religious bodies, citing recent interfaith engagements in London involving the Archbishop of Canterbury and prominent Islamic scholars focused on finding local solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
The Sultan also appreciated the Federal Government for supporting the activities of NIREC and pledged that the council would continue to function regardless of financial constraints.
“Even if the government is not funding us, we will find ways to continue our meetings,” he said.
He added that the sight of Muslim and Christian leaders eating and working together sends a strong message of unity to ordinary Nigerians.
In his remarks, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh described religious literacy as essential for national cohesion in a diverse country like Nigeria.
Okoh said Nigeria’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity should be seen as a source of strength rather than division.
“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.
According to him, misunderstanding and manipulation of religion often fuel division, conflict and mistrust.
He noted that NIREC has over the years served as an important platform for dialogue, conflict resolution and mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims.
“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,” he said.
Okoh stressed the need to mainstream religious literacy into schools, public discourse and community engagements to counter misinformation, hate speech and divisive rhetoric.
“Our places of worship must become centres of enlightenment, where messages of peace, unity and responsible citizenship are consistently emphasised,” he added.
He also called for stronger collaboration among faith communities, civil society groups and the media to promote peaceful coexistence and national unity.
The CAN president reaffirmed the commitment of the Christian body to working with Muslims and other stakeholders to build a nation where all citizens feel safe, valued and respected regardless of their faith.
The NIREC meeting, themed “Religious Literacy for National Cohesion”, brought together Christian and Muslim leaders, government officials, civil society organisations and development partners to discuss strategies for strengthening interfaith understanding and peace in Nigeria.
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