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, speaking for the Sultan’s media team, warned an American named Mac Arnold not to make false and baseless 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 in an effort to get people to pay attention to him by making outrageous and false claims about the Sultan and his office.
It, on the other hand, 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, but he also said that if the person kept making such rude comments, he would take legal action in accordance with both Nigerian and international laws.
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 quietly watching a number of accusations and comments that have been linked to this person. These seem to be meant to get people talking about the Sultan’s office and the person in question by making sensational and unproven claims against them.
“We categorically state that these claims, especially those that suggest any kind of involvement in violence or terrorism, are false, misleading, and not backed up by credible evidence. Similar claims have come up in public discussions before, and many people have disagreed with them and called them divisive stories that could 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 don’t think it’s necessary to give these kinds of claims more attention. However, we 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 want to make it clear that any material that is thought to be defamatory or likely to cause conflict will be subject to the proper legal review, in accordance with both Nigerian and international law.
“The Sultanate is still committed to peace, justice, and the unity of Nigeria, and it will keep working with all parties to reach these long-term goals.”
