The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for an immediate investigation into the killing of a senior Nigerian Army officer, Colonel Abdussalam Ude, while also condemning what he described as persistent discrimination and hostility against minority Igbo Muslims in the South-East.
The President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) made the appeal in a statement issued on Wednesday by Prince Bashir Adefaka on behalf of the Sultan’s Media Team.
The Sultan described the alleged hostility towards minority Igbo Muslims as a threat to national unity and urged the Federal Government and the Armed Forces of Nigeria to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.
According to the statement titled “Sultan of Sokoto Calls for Immediate Investigation into Alleged Assassination of Igbo Muslim Army Officer,” the monarch was reacting to the recent killing of Colonel Abdussalam Ude, described as one of Nigeria’s most senior Igbo Muslim military officers.
“The Federal Government and the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have gotten to put heads together and get to the roots of circumstances that led to the shooting at alleged close range of Army Colonel Abdur-Razaq AbdlKarim Ode, a fine military intelligence officer that both Muslim Ummah and traditional communities in the country, especially the region he hailed from, were proud of,” the Sultan said.
He stressed that allowing the killing of any Nigerian, particularly a serving military officer, to go without a thorough investigation would undermine national unity and justice.
“To allow the killing of any single Nigerian soul without getting to the root of the cause and bringing the culprits to justice is not the way a serious nation should operate, especially when the victim is a soldier of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“The cause of this killing and the attempt on the lives of his family members must be uncovered, and the appropriate authorities must do the needful,” he added.
The Sultan also urged Nigerians to reject hate speech, religious intolerance and attacks against minority groups, calling for peaceful coexistence across the country.
“As Muslims, we continue to act by showing love and encouraging peaceful coexistence, tolerance, unity and restraint as enjoined upon us by Islamic teachings contained in the Glorious Qur’an.”
He prayed for the repose of the late officer’s soul and asked Allah to grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
Colonel Ude was reportedly killed during a suspected kidnapping attempt at his residence in Badna, New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on Monday night.
According to reports, armed attackers stormed his home during a heavy downpour and attempted to abduct him. He was allegedly shot multiple times after resisting the attack.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command later clarified that the incident occurred in Nasarawa State—not Abuja as initially reported—and confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
Since the incident, members of the Igbo Muslim community and other Nigerians have paid tribute to the late officer, remembering him as a respected military intelligence officer, Qur’an teacher and mentor….See more