The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad says the continuous existence of Nigeria as a united entity will largely depend on the amount of love and unity that exist among its citizens irrespective of their religious or tribal inclination.
The Sultan spoke at a general assembly meeting of the Da’awa Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN) held in Kaduna on Saturday.
In his speech, he stressed that no nation could develop in an atmosphere of rancour and mutual suspicion, as currently witnessed in some parts of Nigeria.
In his advice to Nigerians, he said: “Always show love to one another in order to achieve any meaningful development and peaceful co-existence”.
The Sultan’s call is seen as crucial at this time that a terrorist group, the Boko Haram, is carrying out incessant attacks on villages, schools, churches, mosques and public places in the north-east.
The terrorist group said it wanted an end to western education and an Islamic State in the northern part of Nigeria.
For over three years, the Nigerian Armed Forces have been trying to contain the attacks with support from the international community.
While the military is fighting the terrorist, President Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated the government’s commitment to ending the insurgency, promising Nigerians that the moments of peace will surely return.
However, critics have stressed the need for the military to change its tactics, in the operation in order to end the insurgency that has claimed over 2,000 lives since the beginning of 2014.
