Di Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, wey be leader of Nigerian Muslims don yarn yesterday say Muslims no dey plan to wipe out Christians for Nigeria, as religious and government leaders call for better understanding of di conflicts wey dey happen for di country.

According to am, many of di violence wey pipo dey call religious, dem dey misunderstand am, and dat one dey cause more suspicion and mistrust.

Di talk come happun for di first triannual meeting of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) for Abuja, where di Sultan wey be co-chair of di council, talk alongside Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Daniel Okoh, and Secretary to di Government of di Federation, George Akume.

Di leaders tok say di way forward na through dialogue, trust, and to push more for religious literacy.

Di Sultan tok say: “Today as I stand here, I want to make am clear say Muslims no dey rush, and dem no dey plan anything like to reduce Christians for Nigeria by force.

“We no get any power to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, e no possible.”

E talk strong say di two religions must live together for peace, respect, and understanding of each oda, and e urge Nigerians to rethink how dem dey describe insecurity, and warn make nobody attach religion to criminal matters.

“Make we get di tori right, e no be about religion. Make we stop putting religion inside am. Make we call dem wetin dem be — criminals, no be Muslim criminals, no be Muslim terrorists, no be Muslim bandits. Even if person claim say e be Muslim, wetin dem dey do dey against Islam,” di Sultan tok.

E connect di problem to ignorance, and warn against fake claims of religious authority, adding say “just because you sabi Arabic no mean you be Sheikh. Arabic na language. So literacy important well-well.”

Di Sultan talk say dialogue na di only way wey fit work, and e say make dem return to am.

E further tok: “For NIREC, we believe for dialogue. No matter how bad tings be, we believe for dialogue. When we dey talk, you need to understand di next person, not just tolerate dem.

“If you no believe me, wetin you fit do? You no fit open my heart see wetin dey inside. We must trust each oda.”

Concerning di pipo wey dey carry out violence for di name of religion, e tok: “Somebody fit go market, blow imself up, kill pipo and shout ‘Allahu Akbar’. Yes, God dey great, but you dey go hell. Dem go suffer for taking innocent lives.”