Sultan of Sokoto, Mr Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Tuesday cautioned religious groups and leaders against comments that could mislead their followers into war.

Abubakar gave the warning while addressing some Sokoto residents, heads of security agencies, religious leaders and journalists during a Ramadan fast breaking dinner held at his palace Monday night.

The monarch cited a publication credited to some Christian leaders titled, “if Leah Sharibu dies in the hand of Boko Haram, there will be a religious war in the country”, saying such utterances were irresponsible.

He reminded such religious leaders that “terrorism has no connection to religion or ethnicity.’’

Abubakar added that in the event the girl was killed by the terrorists, Christian leaders that made the comment must be held for complicity.

“How can a leader make such comment,’’ he queried, and stressed that Muslims did not in any way connive with Boko Haram to abduct the girl or get others released.

The Sultan reminded such Christian leaders that more Muslims have been killed by Boko Haram than Christians “which even the former President Goodluck Jonathan testified to.’’

“For some section to make that comment that if she dies in the hand of Boko Haram there will be a religious war is very unfair.

“How can someone begin to attack Muslims because this innocent girl happened to be a victim of murderous terrorists?

“It means the Boko Haram group are winning the war because that is exactly what they want.

“If they hear about this and kill the innocent girl that means you are part and parcel of what made them to do that because they want to cause confusion in the country,” Abubakar stressed.

He urged all Nigerians of goodwill to join in prayers for the safe return of the girl, and for peace and harmony across the country.

The monarch insisted that he reacted on behalf of the entire Nigerian Muslims, and urged the media to save Nigeria from war, as some media reports were inimical to peace and unity of the country.

Abubakar accused core and social media of using unverified stories and gory pictures just to raise tension and spread falsehood in the country.

The monarch cited a picture of herdsmen with guns from Central Africa Republic which media organisations in the country always use to portray the Fulani herdsmen.

“There is no G4 riffle because it has been wiped away for long and that picture used particularly by a TV station was that of herders in Central Africa who were being terrorised by rustlers, because cattle rustling started in their country long before coming to Nigeria,” he noted.

He threatened to disown the award of fellowship on him by Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in protest against continued misleading and unverified stories aired or published by members of the union.

Abubakar, who is the President General of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, however, stressed that the crises between Fulani and farmers were purely economic, now hijacked by a few criminal elements.

He reiterated that the criminals killing innocent people especially in the Middle Belt must be arrested and punished.

“But don’t arrest or kill innocent Fulani men just like what happened in Benue state when innocent Fulani people who were on transit, were stopped and killed by some residents of the state,” he cautioned.

The Sultan expressed fear that the killings could continue because some politicians were using it to edge out their political opponents.

“Nigerians should expose criminals in their midst, even if they are their parents or relations.

“Let’s not leave them alone, don’t hide criminals even if they are your fathers, because too much blood has been shed and this is why God is angry with us.

“I believe there are more good people than the bad ones, let the good come together and defeat the bad ones, we have done that while fighting malaria and we can do it again,” he said

He also advocated for more effective tools and welfare for security agents working round the clock to restore peace in the country.

Abubakar commended the federal government for banning codeine and advocated for a law that would make illicit drug dealers and peddlers serve life sentence.

NAN