The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has come under criticism from some Nigerians on social media after calling for a comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigation into the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku.
The sultan’s position, contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the National President of MACBAN, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, urged security agencies to ensure that all those responsible for the killing are identified, prosecuted and brought to justice.
Key Highlights:
- The Sultan of Sokoto called for a transparent investigation into the killing of MACBAN’s Benue chairman, Ardo Risku.
- He urged security agencies to identify, prosecute, and punish those responsible.
- Some Nigerians accused the Sultan of speaking out mainly when Fulani victims are involved.
- Critics said leaders should consistently condemn all killings regardless of ethnicity.
- The reactions reflect growing concerns over insecurity and calls for equal justice for all victims.
His call, however, sparked mixed reactions online, with some Facebook users accusing the traditional ruler of being selective in speaking out on violent attacks across the country and alleging tribal bias.
One Facebook user, Emmanuel S. Garba, claimed the Sultan is more vocal when victims are Fulani than when people from other ethnic groups are attacked.
“We are tired of you in this country. Anything that happens to other tribes is not part of your problem, but when it happens to a Fulani, you will speak with authority,” Garba wrote.
He also questioned whether victims of attacks in Benue State receive the same level of attention, insisting that Nigeria belongs to all citizens and not to any particular ethnic group.
Garba further alleged that violence involving Fulani communities also includes internal conflicts, claiming that Fulani-on-Fulani killings occur in different parts of the country.
He urged the people of Benue not to be intimidated and called on them to remain united in demanding justice and security.
Another Facebook user, Sen Obadiah Timothy Kwetari, stressed that every human life should be valued equally.
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“No soul is better than each other’s soul. Let’s always speak whenever anyone is killed and not be selective,” he wrote.
Similarly, Tongnan Kefas Kenneth questioned why the Sultan had not publicly condemned the killing of women and children in previous attacks.
“Ok is now his talking ko. So all those women and children that they used to kill are human beings, right? And he never comes out and condemn it, why?” he wrote.
Another commenter, Ezekiel Engr, echoed similar sentiments, calling on leaders to consistently condemn all acts of violence regardless of the identity of the victims.
The reactions reflect the heightened public sensitivity over insecurity in Nigeria, with many citizens calling on national and traditional leaders to advocate justice for all victims of violence without perceived ethnic or regional bias.
