Leah Sharibu: Sultan Attacks Christian Leaders, Media for Irresponsible Comments | CNR

Sa'ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto 

     
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Tuesday slammed Christian religious leaders and the media for comments that would mislead the masses and throw the nation into war.


Mr Abubakar gave the warning while addressing some Sokoto residents, heads of security agencies, religious leaders and journalists during a Ramadan breakfast dinner held at his palace on Monday night

He blamed some leaders of the Nigerian Christian community for making some utterance about the remaining Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu in manner suggesting that the girl is being held by Boko Haram because she is a Christian.

The monarch cited a publication credited to some Christian leaders titled, “if Leah Sharibu dies in the hand of Boko Haram, there will be a religious war in the country” , saying such utterances were irresponsible.

He reminded such religious leaders that “terrorism has no connection to religion or ethnicity.’’

While noting that he reacted on behalf of the entire Nigerian Muslims, the Muslim leader urged the media to save Nigeria from war, as some media reports were inimical to peace and unity of the country.

Mr Abubakar, who is the President General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, added that in the event the girl was killed by the terrorists, the Christian leaders that made the comment must be held for complicity.

“How can a leader make such comment,’’ he queried, and stressed that Muslims did not in any way connive with Boko Haram to abduct the girl or get others released.

The Sultan reminded such Christian leaders that more Muslims have been killed by Boko Haram than Christians “which even the former President Goodluck Jonathan testified to.’’

“For some section to make that comment that if she dies in the hand of Boko Haram there will be a religious war is very unfair.

“How can someone begin to attack Muslims because this innocent girl happened to be a victim of murderous terrorists?

“It means the Boko Haram group are winning the war because that is exactly what they want.

“If they hear about this and went and kill the innocent girl that means you are part and parcel of what make them to do that because they want to cause confusion in the country,” Mr Abubakar stressed.

He urged all Nigerians of goodwill to join in prayers for the safe return of the girl, and for peace and harmony across the country.

Mr Abubakar accused the core and social media of using unverified stories and gory pictures just to raise tension and spread falsehood in the country.

The monarch cited a picture of herdsmen with guns from the Central Africa Republic which media organisations in the country always use to portray the Fulani herdsmen.

“There is no G4 riffle because it has been wiped away for long and that picture used particularly by a TV station was that of herders in Central Africa who were being terrorised by rustlers, because cattle rustling started in their country long before coming to Nigeria,” he noted.

He threatened to disown the award of fellowship on him by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in protest against continued misleading and unverified stories aired or published by members of the union.