Sultan of Sokoto: What Buhari should do to those behind hate speeches

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to apprehend and prosecute religious and traditional leaders involved in spreading hate speeches.

Speaking at the 25th Anniversary Event of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, the monarch said government agencies should invoke relevant sections of the law to prosecute those involved in the propagation of hate speeches.

According to Abubakar, “I fully support the decision of the Federal Government to punish hate speech. There are laws in this country. We lend our strong support to this move. This is very apt. The broadcast of the President last Monday that he will visit the full wrath of the law on hate speeches is good.

“As Muslims, the Quran criminalises hate speech. This is not new to us. Religious leaders at all levels must not use their platforms to make hate speeches.

“If such things happen, the government has the responsibility to bring such religious leaders to book. Even traditional rulers should be punished and brought to book.”