The Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’adu Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, have called on Nigerian youths to cease their demonstrations.
The leaders issued their statement on Friday in collaboration with Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC). In the statement, the Sultan urged both protesters and protest organizers to “sheath their swords” and engage in dialogue to address their grievances.
“With the ongoing protests in Nigeria and the information reaching His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, JNI, he once again appeals to the protest conveners, their covert and overt benefactors, as well as other critical stakeholders to sheath their swords and urgently come to the table for dialogue.
“We genuinely feared escalation to an uncontrollable scenario and the reports are tilting towards that.
“Therefore, we in the name of Allah, the Most High call for an end to the snowballing rampaging, in the name of protest.
“We should all understand that there must be a stable country called Nigeria, before we can proudly call ourselves Nigerians.
“With tomorrow being Friday, Jumu’ah mosque Imams and Muslim leaders are implored to calm nerves and call on the Ummah to appreciate peace than chaotic state of affairs, which may even deny us congregational prayers…..
“Nevertheless, the Sultan of Sokoto, implores the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to address the nation, by assuring all Nigerians that peace, security, stability, relief to hardship and food security would be achieved under his stewardship, in-sha’Allah.
“Likewise, State Governors should also calm nerves, as silence is no longer golden at this moment of anxiety.
“In this time of challenge, we pray for guidance, protection, good health, and peace for all leaders, and for tranquility to prevail in Nigeria.
“May Allah, the Highest, also provide the quickest relief to all problems bedeviling the Nigerian state. Aamin.”
Today, the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), represented by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’adu Abubakar III, and Archbishop Daniel Okoh, has issued a solemn statement urging an end to the ongoing protests. The council expressed deep concern over the escalation of violence that marred what began as a peaceful demonstration on August 1, 2024.
In their statement, NIREC described the situation as distressing, noting that the protests, which initially sought to address grievances peacefully, quickly descended into chaos and violence. “In just a few hours, lives and property were lost due to this unfortunate scenario,” the statement read.
NIREC called on Nigerian citizens to cease the protests and allow the government an opportunity to address the issues at hand. The council warned of the potential for further destruction if the protests continued, emphasizing that “only God knows the extent of damage that would be incurred” if the situation persists.
The statement also included a call for security agencies to uphold professionalism in their operations and urged the government to act swiftly in responding to the needs and concerns of the citizens.
“We need a peaceful and tranquil nation we can be proud to call our own,” NIREC concluded.
