The sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims, has condemned the military crackdown against the Islamist Boko Haram sect.
"We cannot solve violence with violence," Mohamed Sa'ad Abubakar told a meeting of religious leaders.
The Boko Haram, based in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, says it is fighting for Islamic rule.
It has been behind recent assassinations of prominent figures and a wave of bombings.
Two years ago, Nigeria's security forces brutally suppressed an uprising by the sect, destroying its compound in Maiduguri - the capital of Borno state - and then capturing and killing its leader Mohammed Yusuf.
Instead of disappearing, the group, which opposes Western education and is fighting for Islamic rule, re-emerged last September and vowed to avenge its leader's death.
Last month, it said it had carried out an attack on the headquarters of the Nigerian police in Abuja, which killed at least six people.
But the response of the security forces has led to criticism from rights group and the governor of Borno state.
Correspondents say many residents of Maiduguri are now more scared of the army than they are of Boko Haram.
"That problem can never be solved by drafting soldiers into cities where there is [a] problem - and in the process innocent lives were lost," said the sultan, who once served as military officer.
It is the first time the sultan has spoken about the Boko Haram insurgency.
Muslim clerics who have criticised the sect have been among those targeted for assassination in drive-by shootings over the past year.
The sultan also said the five policemen who have just gone on trial this month for the killing of Mr Yusuf should not be given bail.
Boko Haram's official name is Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad".
But residents of Maiduguri, where it was formed in 2002, dubbed it Boko Haram.
Loosely translated from the local Hausa language, this means Western education is forbidden.
Boko Haram sees such education as corrupting Muslims.
Nigeria - Africa's most populous nation - is split between the predominately Muslim north and largely Christian south
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14342863

Let the pretence continue. like I always says, Boko Haram is a problem of the north, by the north and for the north. my only anger is that they are looting Niger delta oil money all in the name of fighting terrorism

Just imagine

This is really laughable!

Allah Abkar!

No be today

Now we know the sponsors of Boko-haram.

If you are looking for the sponsors of Boko Haram, look no more.

From " an attack in Boko Haram is an attack on the north" to this.

I'm not even angry that Nigeria was colonized. I'm upset the northern and southern halves were almagamated. If not this would have been a problem for a foreign country and the south would have been watching like spectators.

sultan, who once served as military officer.
It is the first time the sultan has spoken about the Boko Haram insurgency.






Boss of all bosses

Mynd44

this is a high profiled citizen voicing out concerning the ills in our country, Front page worthy sir.

It doesn't seem like recent news tho....

-"A fight against BH terrorists is a fight against the north." -Buhari.

-"The proscription of Ansaru(BH) is unconstitutional."
- And now -"The sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims, has condemned the military crackdown against the Islamist Boko Haram sect."We cannot solve violence with violence," -Mohamed Sa'ad Abubakar.

Cant imagine the revered sultan also once made a implicating statement like this in the time past.Yet DSS said it doesn't know the sponsors of BH terrorists or we keep saying BH or any other form of terrorism can be defeated with overt supportive speeches and actions like these?

They include MURIC dont ever condemn the atrocities of these blood sucking jihadists because they all share the same ideological inspirations & beliefs.Nigeria is on a long thing with these people.

Boko Haram is fighting to strengthen and expand the fulani caliphate.

Why should the Sultan oppose them when they are rxpanding his realm?

This sultan has voiced severally dialogue with BH and like some northern senators want BH to be given a semi autonomous Caliphate in El Kanemi kingdoms

Something that Uthman don Fodio couldn't achieve with his war with the El Kanemi empire

I want people here to understand that the Sokoto Sultanate and it's Emirates are a fundamental Islamic state institution under fulani control. The Sultan isn't a traditional ruler but a religious leader drawn exclusively from the fulani Invaders.

illicit:



It doesn't seem like recent news tho....

isn't, just reminding the gullible Northerners pokenosing and losing sleeps just because of Northern problems.

A fight against Boko Haram is a fight against the north says their Messiah bullhari

Hmmmmm

Speechless

ValCon888:
I'm not even angry that Nigeria was colonized. I'm upset the northern and southern halves were almagamated. If not this would have been a problem for a foreign country and the south would have been watching like spectators.

It would have been better for Southern Nigeria to be merge with Togo and Benin Republic,while the north is merge with Niger Republic

I doubt this news

These guys will overdress like masquerades and all of you will be paying obeisance to them.. Very inconsequential buffoons that want to be seen as some sort of desert blue bloods..

A well known terrorist organization is been defended by there kinsmen. But our own kinsmen rejected IPOB that has never thrown a knockout.

The way this man is talking these days, I believe he knew that, the REAL Buhari is no more

Fahdiga:
Let the pretence continue. like I always says, Boko Haram is a problem of the north, by the north and for the north. my only anger is that they are looting Niger delta oil money all in the name of fighting terrorism

This news was in 2011, the sultan has since eaten the humble pie.

shiki:
The way this man is talking these days, I believe he knew that, the REAL Buhari is no more

This news was in 2011

Now, I got it.
Don't fight violence with violence, but fight peaceful protests like #Endsars, IPOB, Shiites with brutal violence, and then 'pardon' and forgive the criminals who kill helpless farmers, kidnap school boys, and burn down churches.

. . .

2011 news when they thought GEJ was targeting to depopulate d North by fighting terrorism

Lol.

lol all these emirs and their heavy gele are all terrorist

ChoCho54:
This news was in 2011

Yea I know, but the way the man is talking these days ...
Madam your profile pic no be here o

shiki:


Yea I know, but the way the man is talking these days ...
Madam your profile pic no be here o

My profile pic?

Call Hisbah nau