The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has cautioned politicians and public office holders against sponsoring pilgrims to Mecca and Jerusalem with stolen public funds.
The Sultan spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, themed “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria.”
He said using corrupt funds to finance religious activities could not be justified by the spiritual purpose of such activities.
“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,” he said.
Abubakar also urged religious leaders to work with anti-corruption agencies in tackling corruption and promoting accountability.
He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to carry out its duties without political interference.
The Sultan further urged religious leaders to promote mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims, saying stronger interfaith relations were necessary for peaceful coexistence.
He also cautioned clerics against making inflammatory statements, particularly during election periods, and urged them to pray for national leaders rather than use religious platforms to cause division.
