Sa’ad Abubakar III has dismissed allegations of a Muslim agenda to wipe out Christians in Nigeria, describing such claims as divisive and harmful to national unity.
The Sultan made the remarks on Wednesday during the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja.
Speaking at the gathering, he stressed that insecurity in Nigeria should not be viewed through a religious lens, insisting that acts of violence, terrorism and banditry are criminal issues rather than religious conflicts.
“Muslims are not planning anything like eliminating Christians in Nigeria,” the Sultan said.
“We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. It is not possible.”
The meeting was attended by religious leaders and top government officials, including Daniel Okoh and George Akume.
The Sultan cautioned Nigerians against attaching religion to criminal activities, noting that many violent groups misuse religion to justify their actions.
“Let us stop bringing religion into criminality. They are criminals, not Muslim criminals or Muslim terrorists,” he stated.
He added that those who commit violent acts while claiming to represent Islam are acting contrary to the teachings of the religion.
The traditional ruler also blamed ignorance and poor religious understanding for rising tensions in the country, stressing that speaking Arabic or appearing religious does not automatically make someone a true Islamic scholar.
According to him, dialogue remains the best path toward peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
“In NIREC, we believe in dialogue. No matter how difficult things become, we must continue to engage and understand one another,” he said.
The Sultan further condemned suicide bombings and attacks carried out in the name of religion, warning that those responsible would face divine judgment for taking innocent lives.
