The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has warned politicians against using stolen public funds to sponsor religious pilgrims.
The Sultan gave the warning on Wednesday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC. The meeting focused on promoting peaceful coexistence and shared values among Nigerians.
The Sultan said politicians and public officials should not use money obtained through corruption to sponsor Muslims to Mecca or Christians to Jerusalem. He said religious acts should not be funded with proceeds of corruption.
The Sultan also urged religious leaders to work with anti-corruption agencies to fight corruption. He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate and prosecute people accused of corruption, regardless of their political or religious status.
He also appealed to religious leaders to promote peace and unity. Abubakar warned clerics against making inflammatory statements, especially during election periods. He urged them to use their platforms to encourage peaceful coexistence and pray for the country’s leaders.
The meeting also included discussions on the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Manuals Project. The project involves the EFCC and religious leaders and aims to use religious teachings to discourage corruption.
The manuals address issues such as youth involvement in cybercrime, money laundering and corruption within religious institutions. The materials are expected to help religious leaders educate their followers about the dangers of corruption.
