Sultan of Sokoto says Mambilla Plateau violence not targeted at any tribe

By Nkechi Gift

      The Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, on Friday said that the recent crisis in Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State, was not targeted at any tribe
. “The crisis was not planned by individuals or groups to eliminate any tribe; as an ex-military officer, I can only believe that the crisis was planned when I see a document to confirm that,” Abubakar said in Bauchi.         President Yemi Osinbajo welcoming the.     Empire of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi (right) while the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa-ad Abubakar (middle) looked on during the breaking of fast with the Ag President at the State House Conference Cenyre, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. Abubakar spoke at a National Symposium and Lauching of 2025 Vision by Da’awah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN). The Sultan, however, decried the destruction during the violence, and prayed against a recurrence. He said that he had met with some leaders in Taraba and cautioned them against playing politics with lives of the people. “As leaders, we must study situations during any crisis before commenting. We must avoid comments that will worsen already bad situations,” he said. He said that leaders must focus on putting out fire where there was one, and stressed the need to reach out to all stakeholders toward restoring normalcy. He urged government to strive to bring culprits of the Mambilla violence to book, and warned against derogatory terms like Islamic fundamentalists or extremists, Fulani attackers, Berom or Mambilla terrorists. “It is such derogatory terms that fueled the crisis,” Abubakar declared. He said that criminals should be treated as criminals without attributing such crimes to their tribe, religion or other inconsequential sentiments. Abubakar urged residents of Mambilla Plateau to be at peace with each other, declaring that good would always triumph over evil. He urged DCCN to propagate slam to non-Muslims in a non-combative manner.