|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: A Facebook user shared a video alleging that the Sultan of Sokoto has never spoken out or called for unity against banditry and terrorism until recently.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s investigation revealed that the traditional ruler has made several calls for unity against banditry and terrorism.
Full Text
On July 10, 2026, a Facebook user, Calid Voice Eco, shared (archived here) a video alleging that, since the spate of banditry and terrorism in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar III, had never spoken out against banditry until recently.
The Facebook user claimed that the Sultan only became vocal about the menace in July 2026, when it directly impacted him. Attached to the video is a photo news, quoting the Sultan saying it is time for citizens to stand against terrorism and banditry.
The video captioned in pidgin English reads, “E don touch them one kind, they don know Unity.”
As of Sept. 23, 2026, the post had garnered 109,000 views, 369 comments, 440 shares, and 1,900 likes.
The post stirred mixed reactions from other users against the Sultan’s position, as they expressed concern about his failure to speak out against banditry and terrorism.
One user, Chinedu Cornard, wrote, “Because they’re on the American watchlist, they’re speaking positively; all of them will soon be smoked out, including those who deleted all inimical posts against the US government…”
Temidayo Johnson commented, “They just want to stop the killing of their terrorist children.”
Ujagbo Jood wrote, “This one na crocodile tears, after US Congress highlighted genocide against Christians in Nigeria and Potus has declared another military ops in Nigeria, na him him mind come dey.”
Linking Banditry and terrorism to the Sultan, one user, Carol Asuai Obi, expressed, “The Sultan is my very loved, revered King, but with the happenings in Nigeria and their hidden agenda, I do not believe in their one Nigeria Unity because they are not to be trusted, but the unity seems for the ease of rounding up Nigeria easily. Their Unity talk is False.”
Olugbenga Adams wrote, “The Sultan/Satan of Sokoto is pretending; he is a liar and grandfather of liars just like his great-grandfather. Don’t trust him.”
Given the post’s reach and the potential tensions it could bring across Nigeria, DUBAWA decided to verify the claim.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a keyword search related to the claim in the clip and found relevant news reports. A Channel Television report on Apr. 10, 2019 noted that after a spike in insecurity in the Northwest, the Sultan of Sokoto pledged to support the Nigeria Police and other security agencies in ending armed banditry and other criminal activities in the North.
The Cable also reported that on May 30, 2020, following attacks in Sokoto that claimed more than 70 people, the monarch not only asked security forces to “fish out” the bandits responsible, but he also described in the report that the insecurity has deteriorated severely.
On May 31, 2020, Channels TV also reported that the Sultan called for increased military funding to tackle banditry and other crimes. In the report, he called for a combined approach to prevent bandits from moving freely between states.
The Sultan of Sokoto Palace’s media spokesperson, Mallam Aminu Haliru, corroborated our findings. He told DUBAWA, “The July 9, 2026 statement wasn’t the first time that His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, has called for unity towards curbing terrorism and banditry; he has on many occasions called for support in putting insecurity to a check in Nigeria.”
At an event that the Sultan on Dec. 4, 2025, organised by the National Peace Committee, Office of the National Security Adviser and Kukah Centre, titled “A Whole-of-Society Approach,” the Sultan urged Nigerians to come together and maintain a united front against banditry.
Earlier in 2025, Jolibalivenews reported that the Sultan, at the 7th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Maiduguri, which he also chaired, stated, “Our people face kidnappings, killings, and fear every day. We must speak together and act together to restore peace.”
Various media reports show that, amid attacks in Sokoto State and persistent insecurity, the Sultan has repeatedly called for unity not only in the state but across the country.
Conclusion
The claim is false. Available media reports show that the Sultan of Sokoto has repeatedly called for unity against banditry and terrorism in Nigeria, and those calls predate July 2026.
This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.