The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said traditional rulers are more deeply affected by the killings and insecurity plaguing Nigeria than most politicians.
He made the statement on Tuesday, April 15, during the 7th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Maiduguri, Borno State.
“Our coming together as traditional rulers in the North, I believe we have more than 86 in the North. We will speak with one voice to say ‘enough is enough’ of this senseless killing of innocent people across the North and across the country,” the sultan declared.
He criticised the repetitive cycle of condemnations without results. “We have released so many statements of condemnations, but how many times do we need to condemn these killings before our political leaders and security agencies stop or reduce the insecurity in the country to the barest minimum?” he asked.
The Sultan expressed sadness at the frequent killings, often carried out by unidentified assailants.
“We, the traditional rulers, feel bad and saddened when our people are killed by people we don’t know. It’s high time we worked harder, talk to ourselves and in closed door meeting discuss it. We shall advise our political leaders, they are at the helm of affairs and we will work with them,” he said.
He reaffirmed the traditional institution’s commitment to supporting—not challenging—political authority.
“As traditional rulers, we are not competing with governors of our states, we are only helping them. We will not and will never be in contention with political leadership or governors,” he said.
On reports that Boko Haram is resurfacing in Borno, he stated: “Since we are here, we will discuss the happenings in Borno. We heard some comments that Boko Haram is returning, and I say Insha Allah (God willing) Almighty Allah will give us the strength and wherewithal to defeat them.”
He also stressed unity and empathy. “Also, our coming here is to put a joint statement that we are all brothers to one another, and whatever we shall do, we must do to help our brothers out,” he said.
Addressing global insecurity, the sultan urged Nigerians not to lose faith.
“Yes, there is insecurity in some parts of the Borno, but there is insecurity everywhere in the world not only in Nigeria. For some of us that have gone round the world will know, more people are being killed in some developed countries everyday than the total amount of people killed in Nigeria in one month or two months,” he said.
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Yet, he admitted the killings in Nigeria have reached a worrying level. “What happened in Plateau yesterday, and within the week, over 100 people were killed. It’s very bad because people appear from somewhere, kill you and they are never arrested,” he lamented.
He listed other incidents of killings in Sokoto, Kebbi, and elsewhere, calling for a collective effort to curb the violence. “If you put together the total number of people killed in the country in the last one month it is so high,” he said.
He also warned against tribal or religious profiling of criminals. “In every tribe or religion, there are good and bad eggs. So, let’s not look at some people and say they are the cause of our problems,” the sultan added.
Governor Babagana Zulum, representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared the meeting open. In his speech, Zulum stressed the need to engage Northern youth.
“Our youth population is large, energetic and eager to contribute, but many are without opportunities. This vacuum is dangerous. We must invest heavily in skills acquisition, vocational education, digital innovation and entrepreneurship,” Zulum said.
He added that empowering youth is key to tackling radicalisation and driving development.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by AIG Kenechikwu Onwuemelie, also addressed the gathering. He said sustainable security demands collaboration across all sectors.
The sultan’s alarm comes amid a worrying timeline of violence across Northern Nigeria, including recent deadly attacks in Plateau, Katsina, and Borno States. Governor Zulum had earlier warned that parts of Borno risk falling back into terrorist control.
In contrast, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, rejected the notion that the state was losing ground, insisting that the federal government remains committed to tackling insecurity.
Still, the Sultan’s visit follows a history of royal involvement. In 2020, he and other monarchs had urged military intervention in the Lake Chad region and Sambisa Forest—hotbeds of Boko Haram activity.
Their return to Borno in 2025 signals deepening concern over what many fear is a violent resurgence.