The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has reaffirmed that Christians must not be subjected to Sharia law, stressing that the Islamic legal system applies only to Muslims.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Nigeria Inter-Religious Council meeting in Abuja, he said, “Sharia is strictly for Muslims,” and cautioned leaders against actions that could heighten religious tension. He emphasized that Nigeria remains a multi-religious nation where government supports all faiths without adopting any as a state religion.
Other speakers, including House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and SGF George Akume, called for stronger cooperation between NIREC and government to tackle insecurity and extremism.
CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh and NIREC Executive Secretary Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua urged coordinated efforts against terrorism and warned that religious divisions are being exploited to undermine national unity. They stressed renewed commitment to shared values and community-level peace-building.