At a recent Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council meeting in Maiduguri, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, expressed deep concern over the worsening security crisis in Nigeria.
He argued that traditional leaders care more about the bloodshed across the nation than many politicians.
Addressing the 7th Executive Committee Meeting behind closed doors, the Sultan emphasized the urgency of unity among northern traditional rulers over 86 of them to speak out against the rising wave of violence.
“We’ve condemned these killings multiple times, yet the violence persists,” he lamented. “It’s time our political leaders and security agencies act decisively to curb this madness.”
The Sultan stressed that the role of traditional rulers is not to rival governors or political authorities but to support and collaborate with them in securing communities.
He urged all stakeholders, government officials, religious figures, and ordinary citizens to show genuine commitment to tackling insecurity. According to him, sincerity and collective effort are key to achieving peace.
Citing recent deadly attacks in Plateau, Sokoto, and Kebbi, he described the situation as alarming and unacceptable.
He also dismissed the idea of blaming specific ethnic or religious groups for criminal activities, warning that bad actors exist in every community.
He called for faith and resilience, pointing out that insecurity is a global issue and not unique to Nigeria, but one that nonetheless requires urgent local action.