The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has stated that no individual should be forced to embrace Islam. He urged Muslims nationwide to respect the basic rights and personal freedoms of people of other faiths.

Speaking at the NSCIA General Assembly hosted at the National Mosque in Abuja, the Sultan emphasized that any genuine conversion to Islam must come from free will.

"We do not intend to force anybody to join Islam," the Sultan said. "But we have seen how many people have been joining Islam on their own free will because Almighty Allah said there is no compulsion in religion."

The Sultan`s remarks address ongoing concerns regarding religious intolerance and social friction among different faith groups in Nigeria. He recently advised both Christians and Muslims to stop insulting each other, noting that mutual respect remains vital for peaceful coexistence.

Addressing the International Conference on National Security for Socio-economic Development in Abuja—organized by JIBWIS Nigeria alongside the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia—Abubakar called for active tolerance.

"We must be honest with ourselves that Christians can stop insulting Muslims," he noted. "Muslims can stop insulting Christians. And that’s how we live in peace." He added that neither religion is superior to the other, as all people stand equal before God.

THENEWSCREDIT reports that At the same assembly, NSCIA Secretary-General Prof. Ishaq Oloyede urged Muslim parents to provide their children with both Islamic and Western education, stating that modern competence requires a strong foundation in both.

"The most educationally disadvantaged states are Muslim states," Oloyede stated. "The current generation must be sound in both Islamic and Western education."

Professor Is-haq Oloyede has called for significant reforms to public policy and religious administration, advocating for the equitable representation of qualified Muslims in employment sectors and the media. Speaking on key national issues, he urged the government to scale back its involvement in organizing the Hajj pilgrimage to a purely facilitative role. Furthermore, Oloyede proposed an immediate end to government-sponsored pilgrimages, emphasizing that public funds should not be used to sponsor individuals who cannot afford the journey on their own.

The leadership`s statements underscore a unified push by the NSCIA toward religious tolerance, educational development, and sensible public policy.