The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Kukah, have called on Nigerians to put aside religious differences and work together for peace, unity, and good governance.
They made the call on Friday in Abuja at the launch of “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum”, a book written by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.
Speaking at the event, the Sultan dismissed the notion that Jihad or Islamism is about violence or seizing political power.
“Islamism is not about seizing power. Islam stands for good governance and peace in society,” he said.
“When President Goodluck Jonathan was in office, we gave him full support regardless of religion. The idea that Islamism means taking power is a wrong perception. We must work together as one big family to move the country forward.”
Bishop Kukah, on his part, warned that religious extremism continues to threaten Nigeria’s unity and must be confronted collectively.
“Extremism destroys the very foundation of religion. We have seen how nations like Egypt and Algeria confronted radical groups. Here in Nigeria, we know there are still people funding Boko Haram from behind the scenes. We must realise that an injury to one is an injury to all,” he said.
Both leaders stressed that political and religious figures must respect boundaries and prioritise the common good over personal or sectarian interests. They urged Nigerians to unite against forces that seek to divide the country.
