The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has appealed to Nigerians not to label kidnappers, bandits, and terrorists as Fulani herdsmen.
Speaking at the 2026 National Conference, the Sultan said criminals should be identified by their actions, not their ethnic background.
He argued that branding an entire group based on the crimes of a few only deepens divisions.
His comments come at a time when ethnic tensions are high, with many communities blaming Fulani herders for attacks.
While the Sultan’s call for fairness is important, victims of attacks often associate the perpetrators with a particular group.
The challenge is to separate crime from identity without ignoring the patterns of violence that have plagued rural areas. Unity, the Sultan noted, should be our strength, not a weapon.
