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The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar lll, has reacted to the recent U.S. classification of Nigeria as a nation that tolerates religious persecution.
The monarch specifically dismissed claims made by the Christian Association on Nigeria, (CAN), who while reacting to the report, said Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria.
The Sultan said he was also shocked by CAN’s claims.
The inclusion of Nigeria in the religion violations list was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.
“On December 18, 2019, the Department of State re-designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom.”
CAN immediately backed the listing of the country by the United States government among nations tolerating religious persecution.
In a statement on Sunday by Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the CAN President, Samson Ayokunle, the association warned that “discrimination against Christians can result in another civil war which Nigeria may not survive.”
The Sultan of Sokoto, who was speaking on at the closing ceremony of 77th annual Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) organised by the Muslim Society of Nigeria (MSSN) at Bayero University, Kano disagreed with CAN.
He said “if such persecution really exist, such is supposed to be tabled at the Interfaith forum where Muslims and Christians leaders meet periodically to discuss issues that would promote harmonious coexistence between the two religions (Christianity and Islam.”
The Sultan noted that most atrocities allegedly committed by armed Fulani herders were not triggered by religion, “as not all Fulanis are Muslims.”
The nation has been rocked with crises in recent years over the activities of armed herders, usually Fulani, who constantly clash with farmers leading to bloodbath.
Fulanis practice both Christianity and Islam.
But according to the monarch, “many Fulanis are atheists whose main interest is to protect their cattle.”
The Islamic Supreme leader appealed to Muslim faithful not to be provoked by CAN’s statement, which he described as “false and partial.”