The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for a shift in how Nigerians discuss insecurity, warning that attaching religious identities to criminal acts could deepen division and weaken efforts to build national unity.

Speaking on Thursday at the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, the traditional ruler said violent crimes should not be framed as a conflict between Muslims and Christians. According to him, those responsible for killings, banditry, and terrorism should simply be described as criminals.

The Sultan rejected claims that Muslims were working to push Christians out of Nigeria, insisting there was no such agenda. He said both faith communities had lived together for generations and must continue to coexist peacefully despite rising tensions in some parts of the country.

He also cautioned against language that links criminality to religion, noting that such descriptions risk unfairly profiling entire communities. According to him, individuals who commit violent acts cannot claim to represent Islam simply because they identify as Muslims, since their actions contradict the teachings of the faith.

The meeting brought together religious leaders and stakeholders at a time when concerns over insecurity and sectarian distrust remain part of the national conversation. Participants focused on ways to strengthen interfaith understanding and reduce narratives capable of inflaming tensions across communities.

The Sultan’s remarks come amid ongoing calls for closer cooperation between religious institutions and government agencies in promoting peace and countering extremism. He urged Nigerians to focus on unity and avoid rhetoric that could widen existing fault lines in the country.