The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has dismissed claims that Muslims in Nigeria are plotting to eliminate Christians or impose an Islamic agenda on the country, insisting that such narratives are false and dangerous to national unity.
The respected monarch made the remarks during the First Triennial Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council held in Abuja, where religious and government leaders gathered to discuss peaceful coexistence, insecurity and religious tolerance in the country.
Speaking at the gathering, the Sultan said Muslims and Christians must continue to coexist peacefully, stressing that there was no plan by Muslims to “wipe out” Christians in Nigeria.
According to him, “Muslims are not in a hurry and are not planning anything like decimating the population of Christians in Nigeria,” adding that it was impossible to remove Christians from the country.
The Sultan warned Nigerians against framing insecurity and criminality as religious conflicts, arguing that banditry, terrorism and other violent crimes should not be linked to Islam or Christianity.
He said criminals should simply be identified as criminals rather than being described as “Muslim terrorists” or “Muslim bandits,” noting that such labels deepen divisions and fuel suspicion among citizens.
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The traditional ruler also called for greater religious literacy among clerics and followers, warning against the growing influence of self-acclaimed religious leaders with little theological understanding.
He noted that speaking Arabic alone does not qualify a person as an Islamic scholar, just as speaking the language of another faith does not automatically confer spiritual authority.
The meeting also featured contributions from the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who both emphasized the need for dialogue, tolerance and national unity amid rising tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Leaders at the meeting agreed that interfaith dialogue remained one of the strongest tools for addressing mistrust, political manipulation and insecurity in the country. The Sultan reiterated that peaceful engagement and mutual respect between Christians and Muslims were essential for Nigeria’s stability and progress.
