The Muslim Peace Initiative (MPI) is both an intra and inter-Faith dialogue platform that aims to promote peaceful coexistence among people of diverse Faith and religious beliefs. At MPI, we believe that matters of faith are and should remain personal to individuals.
In upholding the sanctity of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, which guarantees freedom of religion to all groups, the secularity of a religiously diverse state like Nigeria should be respected mainly by not promoting one Faith group above the other. In resolving the conflict of faith and citizenship arising from the proliferation of radical ideological doctrines, MPI believes an intra-Faith conversation is needed to separate what is Islamic and what is Muslim. Most importantly all citizens irrespective of religious beliefs should be loyal and faithful to the Nigerian state above any other consideration by respecting, protecting and defending one another irrespective of our religious differences against external aggression as this very consistent with Islamic tenets. The Nigerian state is our geographic reality in the current world order hence patriotism to our nation should be placed above loyalty to trans-border ethno-religious affiliations. Collectively, we must come together to preserve our territorial integrity against external aggression.
MPI is however worried about the rising cases of insecurity within the boundaries of the Nigerian state. While the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east is raging, the violent activities of trans-border killer Fulani herdsmen in concert with some indigenous accomplices in central and southern Nigeria appear to have surpassed the terror group in scope and magnitude. From the Mambilla plateau to the Adamawa Mountains and the Benue valley its rivers of blood of slaughtered men, women and children. If the Boko Haram insurgency is essentially a violent conflict between faith in an imaginary global Muslim world and the citizenship of geographic reality of the modern Nigerian state, then Killer Fulani herdsmen menace can best be described as violent conflict between a nomadic culture and law and order within the boundaries of a constitutionally governed geographic Nigerian entity.
MPI is saddened about the increasing religious coloration that is being assumed by the violent activities of killer herdsmen. In addition to the fact that Fulani herdsmen are predominantly Muslims, while the farming communities are predominantly non-Muslims, the recent statements credited to the Sultan of Sokoto and supreme leader of Muslims in Nigeria, His Eminence Saad Abubakar III may have weighed in the Muslim community in Nigeria on the side of Killer Fulani herdsmen; an unfortunate act which has multiple proportioned national security implication on the stability of the Nigerian state. While reacting to mass killings of members of ethnic Fulani cattle breeding communities in Numan Adamawa state, the Sultan who spoke through the Emir of Kano declared “May I use this opportunity to sympathise with people of Adamawa State, on the recent incident in Numan; and to appeal to security services, to thoroughly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.
“We have not forgotten what happened to Fulanis in Mambilla, Taraba State and we are still waiting for action from the security services.” The sultan then gave a warning against misconstruing “patience for weakness.”
“It is important to remember, that at many points in our history, we make mistakes of confusing patience for weakness “I hope, we would not make that mistake this time; what happened in Numan would not go UNPUNISHED,” he said.
MPI observed that true to the threat of the Sultan of Sokoto, a deadly reprisal attack was carried out by armed Fulani herdsmen on farming communities of Numan, leaving the lives of several men, women and children; Muslim and non-Muslim alike perished. Neither a word of condemnation nor a message of condolence to the government and people of Adamawa was conveyed by the Sultanate. MPI views this as tacit endorsement for the activities of Killer herdsmen by the leadership of the Nigerian Muslim community. Similarly, when tens of men, women and children of farmer communities in Benue state were slaughtered in cold blood, there was no word of condemnation or a message of condolence from the leadership of Nigeria’s Muslim community to the people and government of Benue state. Again the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II will reiterate the fact that eight hundred Fulani ethnic men, women and children were equally killed on the Mambilla plateau thereby conveying a veiled impression that reprisals of the proportion being unleashed by killer herdsmen across central Nigeria may be legitimate. The Emir announced to the world with glee, that he alongside the Sultan of Sokoto and the Lamido of Adamawa are patrons of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN and they were all unanimous in opposing the Anti-open grazing laws of Taraba and Benue states.
MPI frowns at this very parochial and sectional stand of Muslim leadership in Nigeria as it is a direct attack on constituted authority, law and order with grave potentials of breach of security. Furthermore, it is an open invitation to anarchy such as witnessed in Benue state recently. Spilling of human blood other than as an act of judicial pronouncement or self-defence is prohibited in Islam, The human life is far more in worth than a cultivated farmland or herds of cattle. The origin of cycle of violence between herder communities and farmers is like determining between the egg and the hen, which came first, MPI hereby reiterates in strongest terms the condemnation of killings of Fulani cattle breeders on the Mambilla plateau, Numan and every other place such dastardly acts have taking place. Similarly, MPI condemns in the strongest terms the killings of members of farmer communities all over Nigeria.
Conclusively, for failing in its obligation to uphold the Islamic virtues of forgiveness, mercy and grace in this instance, the leadership of Nigeria’s Muslim community have lost legitimacy to continue to arrogate that role to it. Furthermore, for failing to speak up for all Muslims, nay all of mankind irrespective of ethno-geographic origin, it is the view of MPI that Sultan of Sokoto Saad Abubakar III can no longer be regarded as the leader of Muslims [ Sarkin Muslumi] in Nigeria. MPI hereby, call on the federal government of Nigeria, the diplomatic community and the entire Muslim community to henceforth withdraw their recognition of the Sultan of Sokoto as the leader of the Muslim community in Nigeria. The continuous recognition of the Sokoto Caliphate as the head of the Nigerian Muslim community, having taking up the clannish role of defending only Fulani interests in Nigeria at the expense of peace and orderliness, will only put the Muslim community in bad light if not drag it into an unnecessary conflict that has nothing to with the Islamic faith. It will be a collective assault of non-Fulani Muslims in Nigeria to continue to recognize the authority of the Sultan of Sokoto as Sarkin Muslumi, when the seat of the Caliphate is dangerously assuming the image of head of the Fulani empire [ Sarkin Fulani]. Peace loving Nigerian Muslims most be saved the image burden of purveyors of hate, vengeance and murder.