LEAH SHARIBU: SULTAN BLOWS HOT, WARNS CAN AGAINST INCITING COMMENTS

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Tuesday issued warning to religious groups and leaders against comments that could lead their followers into war.

Abubakar gave the warning while citing 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.”

He said such utterances were irresponsible.

The monarch said this 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.

CAN in a statement had warned that there may be religious war in Nigeria should Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi Christian girl still being held by Boko Haram dies in captivity.

Reacting, Sultan queried such religious leaders, stressing that Muslims did not connive with Boko Haram to abduct the girl and get others released.

According to him, “Terrorism has no connection to religion or ethnicity. How can a leader make such comment?

“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 makes them to do that because they want to cause confusion in the country,” Abubakar said.

He further appealed to all Nigerians to join in prayers for the safe return of the girl and for peace across the country.

Reporting: Unclad News Press