The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has demanded dialogue as a key tool for restoring peace amid rising insecurity across Nigeria.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Sultan’s call comes amid the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) demands for decisive action against those sponsoring violence.
However, while speaking at the second triennial meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, themed “Collaboration of Inter-Religious Councils with Government to Promote Peace in Nigeria,” the Sultan emphasised that lasting peace cannot be achieved by force alone.
He warned against hypocrisy, backbiting, and divisiveness while urging religious leaders to foster understanding, neighbourliness, and unity across faiths.
He said, “You can really sit and discuss any issue between you as people, as religious followers. As I said, God doesn’t make mistakes. He created us into tribes and nations so that we could understand one another.
“There are many other things I won’t start quoting from the holy books. But I believe that when we close the session, we should speak honestly and sincerely, without mixing words. We must be very blunt.”
In his speech, the CAN President, Daniel Okoh, reinforced the link between peace and justice, calling for accountability for perpetrators of violence.
Okoh also urged religious leaders to guide citizens in rejecting violence and misinformation while fostering social harmony and unity across faith lines.
He noted, “Peace requires justice, those who perpetrate or fund violence must be held accountable. Religious leaders must guide citizens to reject violence, misinformation, and division.
“By working together across faiths, we can protect lives, support victims, promote social harmony, and ensure that unity and compassion become the foundation of a peaceful Nigeria”.
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