Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, has said that he is not involved in supporting violence or terrorist activities.
On Thursday, Prince Bashir Adefaka, who is in charge of the Sultan’s media team, warned an American named Mac Arnold not to make false and unfounded claims against the traditional ruler, who is also the Leader of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria.
The statement said that Mac Arnold has made a number of accusations and comments that are meant to get people talking by making sensational and false claims against the Sultan and his office.
But it said that the claims are false, misleading, and not backed up by reliable evidence.
The Sultan told the American citizen to stop making such claims, and he said that if the person kept making such comments, he would take legal action according to both Nigerian and international law.
The full statement says: “The Media Team of Sultan of Sokoto His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, mni, who is the Leader of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria, has been made aware of recent video claims and statements made by an American commentator, Mac Arnold.
“For a while now, we have been carefully watching a number of claims and comments attributed to this person. They seem to be trying to get attention by making sensational and unfounded claims against the Sultan and his office.
“We categorically say that these claims, especially those that imply any kind of involvement in violence or terrorism, are false, misleading, and not backed up by reliable evidence. Similar accusations have come up in public conversations before, and many people have argued against them and said they are divisive stories that can make tensions worse.
“The Sultan of Sokoto is still a respected national and religious leader who is known for promoting peaceful coexistence, interfaith dialogue, and national unity in Nigeria and around the world.
“We therefore feel that it is not necessary to respond to such claims. We do, however, ask the public and the international community to be careful, check information from reliable sources, and not share content that could hurt social cohesion.
“We also say again that any material that is thought to be defamatory or likely to cause trouble will be looked at by the right legal authorities, as required by both Nigerian and international law.
“The Sultanate is still committed to peace, justice, and the unity of Nigeria, and it will keep working with everyone to reach these long-term goals.”
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