7,000 Christians Killed in Your Territory,” US Mayor Tells Sultan

A former mayor from Texas has directly challenged the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar III, one of Nigeria’s most prominent Muslim leaders, over his role in the ongoing violence in the country’s northern regions.

Mike Arnold, who served as Mayor of Blanco City and now leads the advocacy group Africa Arise International, used social media to call on the Sultan to prove he was not involved in what Arnold termed a “jihad genocide.” He accused the traditional ruler of being aware of, and failing to stop, widespread killings.

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The claims have been met with a firm rebuke from the Sultan’s office. The Sultanate Council of Sokoto, in a statement covered by The Punch, described Arnold’s comments as having no foundation and said they did not warrant a formal response from the Sultan.

The dispute began with a series of online posts from Arnold. He alleged that the Sultan was involved in mass killings and the theft of resources in northern Nigeria. The former mayor also claimed that the Sultan has not done enough to rein in militant Fulani groups, who have been accused of carrying out numerous attacks in the region.

Arnold pointed out that while the Sultan had previously issued a formal religious ruling, or fatwa, against the extremist group Boko Haram after it challenged his authority, a similar step has not been taken against the Fulani militants.

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“There have been more than 7,000 Christians massacred this year in his territory,” Arnold stated. He then referenced a past comment attributed to the Sultan about traditional rulers having knowledge of local events, adding, “If his own statement that no killing happens without traditional rulers knowing about it is true, then he knows more than anybody else.”

This is not the first time such allegations have been directed at the Sultanate. Earlier, the Sultan himself had denied that Christians were facing a genocide in the North. He has previously called those reports untrue and divisive, urging citizens to be careful about accepting information from social media without verification.

The public exchange between the American former official and the revered Nigerian religious leader has further stirred debate on the international stage about the complex security situation in Nigeria, where violence involving multiple armed groups continues to affect countless communities.