Did Sultan of Sokoto Say Northern Nigeria is Ready for Breakup? Fact Emerges
- A Facebook video attributed a divisive statement about Nigeria's break-up to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III
- The video has gathered approximately one million views, igniting heated debate in the comments section
- Fact-checkers investigated the claim, contacting the Sultan's palace media officer directly for a response
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Sokoto, Sokoto state - A Facebook page, @CALID VOICE ECO, published a viral 16-second video on Sunday, June 7, 2026, claiming that Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, declared that Northern Nigeria is not afraid of the country's separation.
The clip's overlaying text reads: "We are not afraid of Nigeria breaking up. If Nigeria's Constitution guarantees it, let the Igbo go."
Source: Getty Images
The caption, written in pidgin, translates to a challenge:
"If the North is not afraid, then release Nnamdi Kanu." By August 15, 2026, the post had accumulated 996,000 views, 16,000 likes, 709 comments, and 1,400 shares.
Reactions in the comments were sharply divided.
@Iheanacho Lucas backed the claim, writing:
"Why are you people afraid to let Igbos go? Better bow for them not to go."
@Akinsanya Deborah added:
"Igbo and Yoruba are going, biko Nigeria must break to let peace reign, I beg. If una not afraid, make them release Inamdi Kanu now."
@Akudinawa Edorji dismissed the Sultan outright.
A dissenting voice, @Zakari Aliu, cautioned against the rhetoric, writing:
"Your hatred and insults are too much. Watch out, please, for peace to rain!…"
The viral Facebook video mentioning the Sultan can be watched below:
No evidence Sultan made viral remark
Given the Sultan's profile and the statement's potential to inflame ethnic tensions, a fact-checking platform, Dubawa, on Thursday, August 27, launched a verification investigation. An extensive Google search produced no evidence that the Sultan made any such remarks. What emerged instead were recent statements that pointed in the opposite direction.
In an August 8, 2026 report by The Cable, the Sultan spoke out against the alleged discrimination faced by minority Igbo Muslims in the south-east. Through a statement released by his media aide, Bashir Adefaka, the Sultan called on the federal government to prioritise nation-building efforts.
On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, the religious leader attended a lecture organised for journalists where he called for continued efforts to promote peace across the country, Voice of Nigeria noted. Separately, the Sultan had urged Christians and Muslims alike to stop insulting one another, insisting that both groups stand equal before God.
Sultan’s aide debunks viral Igbo claim
Meanwhile, Aminu Haliru, the Sultan's media and publicity officer at the palace, stated that the allegation was entirely without basis.
"That isn't true. His Eminence would never make such a statement," Haliru said, describing the Sultan as a committed nation-builder who promotes peaceful coexistence among Nigerians regardless of their ethnic, religious, regional, or political backgrounds.
Verdict on online claim about Sultan
The claim is false. There is no credible evidence that the Sultan of Sokoto made any statement endorsing the break-up of Nigeria.
There is also no evidence that he supported the departure of the Igbo from the Nigerian federation.
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Muslims mourn slain Igbo army officer
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that tributes poured in for Colonel AA Ude, a Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) officer of Igbo extraction who was killed after reportedly resisting an abduction attempt at his home in Abuja.
The incident happened shortly after Ude returned to his residence at Phase 5, Army Housing Estate, Kurudu, on the outskirts of Abuja.
Source: Legit.ng
