The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has strongly condemned killings carried out in the name of religion, declaring that anyone who takes innocent lives while shouting “Allahu Akbar” is destined for hell.

The revered traditional ruler made the remarks during the first triannual meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, where he appeared alongside Daniel Okoh and George Akume.

Speaking on the rising insecurity and religious tension in the country, the Sultan stressed that criminal acts should not be linked to any faith, insisting that terrorism and banditry are not religious practices.

“Let us get the narrative right. It is not about religion,” he said, urging Nigerians to stop referring to criminals as “Muslim terrorists” or “Muslim bandits.”

“Let us call them what they are, criminals. Even if someone claims to be Muslim, what they do goes against Islam,” he added.

The Sultan further blamed ignorance and false religious authority for fueling extremism, noting that the ability to speak Arabic does not automatically make someone a qualified Islamic scholar.

In an emotional statement, he condemned suicide bombings and attacks on innocent civilians carried out under the guise of religion.

“Somebody can go to the market, blow his or herself up, kill people and shout ‘Allahu Akbar’. Yes, God is great, but you are going to hell. They will suffer for taking innocent lives,” he said.

His comments have since sparked conversations on the need for religious tolerance, accurate narratives around insecurity, and stronger interfaith cooperation in Nigeria.