By Abdulsamad Abdulmalik
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed claims that Muslims are plotting against Christians in Nigeria, insisting that there is no agenda to wipe out Christians in the country.
The Sultan spoke on Thursday at the first triennial meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, where religious and government leaders called for stronger dialogue, mutual trust and improved religious literacy to promote national unity.
Speaking at the meeting co-chaired by the Sultan and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the monarch said many violent conflicts in the country were wrongly framed as religious crises.
“Muslims are not planning anything like decimating the population of Christians in Nigeria. We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria,” he said.
The Sultan urged Nigerians to stop attaching religion to criminal activities, stressing that criminals should simply be identified as criminals regardless of their faith.
“Let us stop bringing religion into it. Let us call them what they are — criminals, not Muslim criminals, not Muslim terrorists, not Muslim bandits,” he stated.
He also warned against ignorance and misinformation, noting that not everyone claiming religious authority truly understands the faith they profess.
According to him, dialogue and mutual understanding remain the best tools for resolving conflicts and strengthening peaceful coexistence.
Also speaking, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh described religious literacy as essential for reducing stereotypes and promoting respect among different faith groups.
He noted that many crises in Nigeria are often wrongly interpreted as religious conflicts when their roots are actually social, economic or political.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also stressed the need for education and empathy to counter suspicion and division in society.
The meeting ended with renewed calls for Nigerians to reject divisive narratives and work together to strengthen peace and national cohesion.
