Guardian NG

The unequivocal pledge by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III that traditional rulers and community leaders in the North are prepared to work fully with security agencies to flush terrorists and other criminal elements out of their hideouts is significant. At a time when terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime continue to threaten lives, livelihoods and national cohesion, such a commitment from one of the country’s most influential traditional institutions is timely and deserves replication by other traditional institutions.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 National Conference of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Abuja, the Sultan assured the Federal Government that traditional and community leaders would mobilise grassroots support to deny terrorists and criminals the safe haven they require to operate. The conference, themed: ‘Advancing Peaceful Pastoralism and Livestock Transformation for Food Security, National Unity and Shared Prosperity’, brought together security chiefs, development partners and other stakeholders.