By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola 

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that God will not accept religious deeds funded with stolen public money, cautioning politicians and public office holders against sponsoring pilgrims to Mecca and Jerusalem with corrupt funds.

The Sultan made the declaration on Wednesday, 23 September, 2026, in Abuja, at the opening ceremony of a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), themed “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria.” 

He argued that the spiritual purpose behind such religious sponsorships could not justify the use of corrupt funds to finance them.

“You cannot steal money and send people to Jerusalem or Mecca with corrupt funds and think God will accept your deeds. God is not corrupt, so you cannot use corrupt money for Hajj or anything else,” he said.

Abubakar urged religious leaders to work alongside anti-corruption agencies in tackling corruption and promoting accountability, while calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out its duties without political interference.

He further urged religious leaders to promote mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims, stressing that stronger interfaith relations remained necessary for peaceful coexistence in the country.

The Sultan also cautioned clerics against making inflammatory statements, particularly during election periods, urging them instead to pray for national leaders rather than use religious platforms to cause division.