The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has revealed key details of the recent closed-door meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.

The meeting, held on Friday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, came just days after President Tinubu also met with the Archbishop of Abuja, Bishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama.

According to the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, the engagements are part of ongoing consultations with religious and traditional leaders to promote dialogue and strengthen social cohesion nationwide.

The discussions also followed recent comments by United States President Donald Trump, who threatened action against Nigeria over alleged attacks on Christians.

Responding to a question from The Guardian after addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday regarding Trump’s remarks, NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the Sultan used the opportunity to convey the “feelings and anxieties” of Nigerian Muslims to President Tinubu.

Oloyede said concerns raised by the Muslim community over perceived marginalisation were directly presented during the meeting.

He recalled that at the last NSCIA General Purpose Committee (GPC) meeting, one of the resolutions was to seek an audience with the President to discuss pressing concerns affecting Muslims.

“One of the resolutions taken by the GPC was that we should book an appointment to discuss with the President of Nigeria. At the meeting today, the report was given since our President-General had met with Mr. President,” Oloyede said.

“He told us clearly that he conveyed the feelings of the Muslims, and we have no reason to doubt him.”

According to Oloyede, President Tinubu assured the Sultan that Muslims would not be sidelined in governance or national policymaking.

“Mr. President assured him that Muslims are not going to be marginalised; we are not going to be ‘designated’, and that he should reassure the Muslim community that there is no plan to encroach on our rights and privileges,” he added.

Nine days ago, the United States redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern after President Donald Trump expressed concern that Christianity faces an existential threat in the West African nation, with a lot of Christians being killed.

The redesignation came after a wave of campaign by American and European far-right politicians and commentators that claimed that there was Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Trump said that he is focused on changing the situation in Nigeria.

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it,” Trump said on Friday.

But the Nigerian government has insisted that Christians are not being singled out for attacks while also acknowledging that it has security challenges (THE GUARDIAN)