By Peter Omopo
The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed allegations of an ongoing genocide against Christians in Northern Nigeria, describing the claims as false, divisive, and aimed at destabilising the country.
Speaking on Tuesday at the General Assembly of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, the Sultan stated that Muslims and Christians in the North have coexisted peacefully for centuries, adding that recent accusations were designed to sow discord among Nigerians.
“From time immemorial, Christians and Muslims have lived as brothers in the North. These allegations are false and are merely aimed at sowing discord among the inseparable faithful,” the monarch said.
The Sultan’s remarks follow renewed international attention to claims of religious persecution after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, during a podcast with television host Bill Maher, alleged that Christians in Nigeria were being “systematically targeted and killed,” describing the situation as “genocide.”
Political commentators, including Maher and Van Jones, echoed the claims, accusing the Nigerian government of complicity.
In response, the Federal Government condemned the allegations as “false and malicious propaganda” intended to damage Nigeria’s image abroad.
Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, speaking in Abuja on Monday at the National Unveiling of the World Public Relations Forum, said the narrative was part of a foreign-sponsored campaign to fuel division and undermine national unity.
During his address, the Sultan lauded the Nigerian military for its efforts in combating insurgency and banditry across the North.
“Without the military, we wouldn’t be here holding this meeting comfortably. Therefore, we must encourage them to do more,” he stated, pledging the full support of traditional rulers to the Armed Forces and the Federal Government.
He also warned against the spread of misinformation on social media, noting that fake news had become a major tool for inciting religious and ethnic tension.
The Sultan urged the government to implement stronger measures to regulate online content, revealing that he too had been a victim of fake reports.
Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, commended traditional rulers for their cooperation in the fight against insecurity and called for deeper community engagement to support military operations.
“The days of bandits and insurgents in the Northeast, Northwest, and across the country are numbered. We will defeat them — they will not defeat us,” Musa declared.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, who declared the meeting open, reiterated his administration’s support for both the military and the traditional institution, dismissing reports that the state had hired a foreign security company to combat banditry.
“We did not hire any international company or organisation to fight banditry in Kebbi. Instead, we have provided the military with operational vehicles, motorcycles, and logistics,” Idris said.
The meeting was attended by prominent northern monarchs, including the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Illiyasu Bashar; the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi; and several emirs from the 19 northern states. Together, they reaffirmed their collective commitment to peace, unity, and national cohesion.
