Sultan: Christians, Muslims Should Stop Insulting One Another to Live in Peace

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Christians and Muslims in Nigeria to stop insulting one another, saying mutual respect and religious tolerance are essential for peaceful coexistence.

The Sultan spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the International Conference on National Security for Socio-economic Development, organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bidiah wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS Nigeria) in collaboration with the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia.

He called on followers of both religions to reject inflammatory rhetoric and recognise that neither faith should consider itself superior to the other.

“We must be honest with ourselves that Christians can stop insulting Muslims. Muslims can stop insulting Christians. And that’s how we live in peace,” he said.

The Sultan said all people were equal before God and cautioned against religious superiority.

“We are not here to say we are better than anybody. We are not better than anybody. He [God] is the creator of us all. He will determine who is better,” he said.

Although he did not directly mention recent controversial comments attributed to Islamic cleric Yahaya Jingir, the Sultan’s remarks came days after Jingir reportedly made statements concerning Christians and the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

Sultan Calls for Respect Among Neighbours

The traditional ruler also urged Nigerians to revive the culture of caring for their neighbours regardless of religious or ethnic differences.

“Allah created your neighbour for you. Whoever is your neighbour, you know what is required of you to do for your neighbour,” he said.

He expressed concern over the increasing abuse of social media, accusing some Nigerians of spreading false and disparaging statements about political leaders.

The Sultan warned that people who knowingly spread false information about presidents, governors, senators and other public officials would ultimately be accountable to God.

He also urged Nigerians to focus on solving the country’s challenges instead of promoting its disintegration.

As an example of interfaith humanity, he recalled the late Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, who sheltered more than 200 Christians inside his mosque during a crisis in Plateau State.

The Sultan said such acts demonstrated the importance of humanity and should remain part of Nigeria’s collective memory.

NIREC Urges Religious Tolerance

Also speaking at the conference, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, Cornelius Omonokhua, said people were created first as human beings rather than as Muslims or Christians.

Omonokhua said mercy should remain central to religious practice, adding that cooperation between Christian and Muslim leaders demonstrated that the two faiths were not inherently in conflict.