Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged security agencies and political leaders to deal decisively with all those who think they can turn the country upside down through misinterpretation of religious teachings.
Speaking at the 2nd National Education Summit of the Nigerian Army, holding in Sokoto, the monarch highlighted the problem with extremism.
“So many people turn religious upside down to suit them because they have not been properly guided on what should be the teachings, especially of the two major religions.”
“This has been a serious challenge to us. So education is one area where we can deal properly with the challenge of extremism.
“We should and we must not allow extremists to take over any section of the country and we must do so by challenging them educationally and security wise,” he said
The monarch said the summit was coming at the right time because of so many challenges in the country, adding that lack of implementation of resolutions reached at similar summits was the reason why Nigeria was enmeshed in various problems.
According to the Sultan, “the more we come together to discuss our problems, the more solutions will come and the more we implement a those solutions, the better for the country.”
He also stressed the need for Nigerians to de-emphasise paper qualification by making education very functional and productive.
He also advised that lessons should be taught in local languages as this would make our students to learn better and faster.
In his remarks, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal noted that the summit happened at the right time in view of the challenges which were impacting negatively on the education sector.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahya, said the security challenges are surmountable with maximum cooperation of all and sundry.
He urged all the participants at the summit to offer meaningful suggestion and input, saying the Army shall remain resolute in protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians.