News: Sultan Seeks End To Terrorism

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, on Monday in Sokoto called for global efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Abubakar made the call when the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, visited him in his palace.

The Sultan said the menace of terrorism, violence and extremism were common to the two major religions of Islam and Christianity. According to him, no one country can solely fight terrorism or extremism because they were not common to Nigeria alone. "Nobody will wish his country to be embroiled in violence or crises. "

Problems such as suicide bombing and other forms of extremism had crept into Nigeria." He said that the people must be educated in order to fight the menace effectively. On the 2015 general elections, the Sultan said that Nigerians were determined to ensure transparent, credible, fair and acceptable polls in 2015 and beyond.

"We want elections not based on ethnicity or religion; Nigerians need peace and harmony. "This is the Nigeria of our dreams, where all the citizens are free and equal."

Abubakar urged the U.S and other countries to help Nigeria to fully achieve her goals and commended the U.S Government for its positive disposition towards Nigeria.

"The two countries have mutual and sustainable partnership that is working and it covers health, peace, education and democracy, among others," he said. Earlier, Entwistle had told the Sultan that he was in state as part of his nationwide visit to see things for himself and assess the realities.

He said that Nigeria and the U.S would continue to do things together to make the world a better place.