Using Stolen Funds For Hajj, Jerusalem Pilgrimages ‘Condemnable’-Sultan Of Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged religious leaders in the country to join the fight against corruption while condemning the idea of using stolen funds to pay for hajj fares ditto Jerusalem pilgrimage.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the monarch said this during the opening ceremony of the ‘stakeholder meeting’ organised by the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, on Wednesday.
He urged religious leaders to actively collaborate with anti-corruption agencies to curb systemic graft while asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deal decisively with corrupt individuals regardless of their political or religious affiliations.
‘We, as religious leaders, must fight corruption because God Almighty doesn’t like corruption You cannot steal money and send people to Jerusalem or Mecca with corrupt funds and think God will accept your deeds. God is not corrupt, so, you cannot use corrupt money for Hajj or anything else.
Whoever is involved—our brothers, sisters, fathers, or friends should face the law.
When someone is facing the law, do not tell me he is the pastor of so-and-so church or the chief imam of so-and-so mosque. We do not want to hear that’ he said.
Those in charge of EFCC, he noted, should however ensure that they discharge their duties without political interference.
Highlighting the importance of national unity, Sultan Abubakar called NIREC a unique platform for fostering dialogue between Christians and Muslims in the country noting that such regular interactions are essential for peace, stability, and national development.
‘ I keep telling people that I don’t want you to just tolerate me, because tolerance means enduring something you have no choice about.
But if you understand me, we can work together because we know who we are to each other’ he said.
The Sultan urged clerics to focus on praying for national leaders and cautioned participants to debate national issues openly while actively rejecting the spread of rumors in their communities.
He also paid tribute to the outgoing Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) , Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, praising his eight-year tenure that transformed the council into a vibrant national platform.
In an overview of the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Manuals Project, Chairman of the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee (IAAC). Prof. Adedibu Ojerinde, described the manuals as a joint strategic initiative between the EFCC and Nigeria’s religious leadership to address the nation’s moral crisis-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
