Sultan Warns Muslims in Nigeria against Using Islam as Excuse for Violence

Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto on Thursday warned Muslims against creating trouble in the name of religion in Nigeria. The sultan spoke in his Palace when the Emirs of Gwandu and Argungu in Kebbi, Ilyasu Bashar and Sama’ila Mera, respectively, paid him the traditional sallah homage. Abubakar said Islam is a religion of peace and it abhors violence.
“Violence and mayhem tarnish the image of Islam and Muslims and we should shun them. We should only rely on God, the Almighty, as the Alpha and Omega of the World,’’ he said. The sultan further appealed to northerners to work toward ensuring sustained peace and unity. “This should be ensured in the region and by extension all parts of the country, as God has created us together with diverse backgrounds. “These religious, ethnic and cultural differences, among others, should further unite and not divide us,” he said.