The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian military to adopt a more aggressive strategy in tackling terrorism following the recent bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The monarch made the appeal on Wednesday night while announcing Friday as Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the Ramadan fast.
His remarks come after coordinated bomb attacks on Monday claimed 23 lives and left more than 100 people injured. The explosions occurred in busy areas, including a market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office flyover.
Condemning the attacks, the Sultan urged security forces to take the fight directly to the terrorists rather than waiting to respond after incidents occur.
“Take the war to the terrorists where they are. Don’t wait for them to strike before defending or finding solutions. This must be done so that we can have peace as a nation,” he said.
He stressed the need for the military, intelligence agencies, and other security bodies to intensify efforts and deal decisively with insurgency across the country.
The Sultan also described the attacks as un-Islamic, rejecting any attempt to associate terrorism with the religion.
“We have always condemned this. It is un-Islamic and should not be linked to Islam in any way,” he added.
He further urged the government to demonstrate strong political will in protecting lives and ensuring security nationwide, emphasizing that efforts must cut across all regions to sustain unity, peaceful coexistence, and development.
