The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has warned politicians and public office holders against using stolen public funds to sponsor pilgrimages to Mecca and Jerusalem, stating that God does not accept corrupt offerings.
Speaking in Abuja at a Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) stakeholders' meeting, the Sultan urged religious leaders to partner with anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC to fight systemic graft.
He insisted that anyone caught stealing should face the law without receiving protection based on their religious or political ties, and he called on the EFCC to operate without political interference.
The Sultan also urged Christians and Muslims to build genuine mutual understanding rather than mere tolerance, while cautioning clerics against using their pulpits to incite division or attack leaders during elections.
The event also featured the presentation of updated Interfaith Anti-Corruption Manuals, created jointly with the EFCC to help imams and pastors preach against corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime in their weekly sermons.