The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday signed a peace pact ahead of the 2023 general election.
The aim is to de-escalate religious tensions and ensure a peaceful and secure atmosphere ahead of the coming election.
While the Sultan, who is the President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), was represented by Prof. Yusuf Usman; CAN was represented by its immediate-past president, Rev. Samson Ayokunle.
Ayokunle said in a statement that the leadership of the Muslim and Christian organizations pledged to continue to work together, avoid violence, embrace dialogue, and remain committed to building resilient communities that are free from fear.
The statement reads in parts: “This is a difficult time in Nigeria, with ever-escalating security crises and an overwhelming loss of trust in government. And unfortunately, so much of the crisis in Nigeria has had a religious context.
“I recall the horrifying death of Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu murdered by a mob because of allegations of blasphemy.
“Likewise, the shocking attack on the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church on Pentecost Sunday that left so many dead. Nearly every day there seems to be another priest kidnapped or killed
“At the same time, I know that there are so many across Nigeria, Muslims and Christians alike, who abhor this violence and only want to live in peace with their brethren of other faiths as we have done for so long.
“The Sultan of Sokoto is one of those men, and I thank him for how he swiftly condemned these kinds of attacks.”
