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In what is fast shaping into a transcontinental diplomatic storm, former U.S. Mayor Mike Arnold has publicly accused the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, of turning a blind eye to — and possibly being complicit in — the wave of jihadist violence ravaging northern Nigeria. Arnold, who served as mayor of a midwestern American city and is now an active voice in international religious freedom advocacy, made the allegations in an open letter posted on X (formerly Twitter), which has since ignited fierce debates in diplomatic, security, and religious circles across Nigeria, the U.S., and beyond.
The accusations are as grave as they are direct. Arnold claims that the Sultan — Nigeria’s most powerful Islamic spiritual leader and one of Africa’s most influential religious figures — has failed to use his influence to halt jihadist violence in territories under the historic Sokoto Caliphate. He further linked the Sultan’s past career as a Nigerian military intelligence officer stationed in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan to the sudden spread of “global jihadist tactics” in northern Nigeria following his return and enthronement in 2006.
“How do you explain that the tactics of global jihadist groups, previously unseen in Nigeria, began in your caliphate after your return from Pakistan?” Arnold asked in his post. “Where are the fatwas against these killings? What have you done to protect your citizens and subjects?”
The former mayor went even further, alleging that over $9 billion worth of minerals are being looted annually from territories under the Sokoto Caliphate’s traditional influence — suggesting a nexus between insecurity, corruption, and illicit resource exploitation. “If you fail to address these allegations,” Arnold warned, “you could face international criminal scrutiny.”
A Clash Between Tradition and Transparency
To fully appreciate the gravity of Arnold’s allegations, one must understand the Sultan’s unique position in Nigeria’s complex socio-political structure. The Sultan of Sokoto is not merely a traditional ruler — he is the spiritual head of all Muslims in Nigeria, a country with over 100 million adherents of Islam. The Sultan also chairs the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the apex Islamic body that influences national religious policy, dialogue, and interfaith relations.
Yet, in the eyes of Arnold and other Western religious freedom advocates, that very influence makes the Sultan’s silence on the spate of killings in northern Nigeria deeply troubling. They point to repeated reports by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Christian Solidarity International, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which have documented mass killings of Christians and moderate Muslims across the Middle Belt and far north of Nigeria.
Arnold’s open letter claims that over 7,000 Christians have been massacred this year alone in regions he describes as “the Sultan’s territory” — an apparent reference to states historically under the Sokoto Caliphate’s cultural reach.
“There have been more than 7,000 Christians massacred this year in the Sultan’s territory,” Arnold wrote. “And yet, we hear no condemnations, no fatwas, no decisive spiritual leadership to stop it.”
The Sultanate Council, however, dismissed the allegations outright.
The Sultanate’s Response
In a swift but restrained reaction, Alhaji Saidu Maccido, Secretary of the Sultanate Council of Sokoto, told journalists that the Sultan would not lower himself to respond to baseless accusations.
“The Sultan will not bring himself down to respond to such allegations again,” Maccido said. “The Federal Government has already responded to these claims, and I recall that the Nigerian Senate also passed a resolution on the matter. Responding again will only make them feel important.”
He added that the Sultanate remained focused on promoting peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and national stability.
“We will not be distracted by baseless accusations,” Maccido concluded. “Our commitment to peace, unity, and truth remains unwavering.”
Yet Arnold was not convinced. He rejected the Senate’s previous defense of the Sultan, calling the Nigerian legislature “corrupt, compromised, and complicit.” He mocked the Sultanate’s “non-response” as a “silly official statement,” insisting that the world deserves answers, not silence.
“Why keep these questions open if you have nothing to hide?” Arnold wrote in another post. “If you are indeed innocent, why not simply answer these questions and set the record straight?”
The Questions That Shook the Caliphate
Arnold’s open letter did not stop at general accusations; it came loaded with a series of pointed questions directed at the Sultan — questions that, if ignored, could haunt both the Sultanate and Nigeria’s diplomatic image for years.
Among them were:
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“What, if any, direct contact did you have with Al Qaeda, ISIS, Taliban, and other global jihad organizations while you were stationed as a Nigerian Brigadier General of Intelligence in Pakistan and Afghanistan during the war — at the same time Nigerian fighters were captured fighting alongside Taliban forces?”
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“How is it that some of these same groups are now operating within your caliphate?”
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“Do you acknowledge the documented and internationally recognized mass killings and displacement of Christians and peaceful Muslims — 99.8% of which occur in your historic caliphate?”
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“Where are the fatwas against these killings? What actions have you taken to protect your subjects?”
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“What about the looting of $9 billion worth of minerals from the lands within your caliphate — do you want it to stop? Do you personally benefit from it?”
He closed his post with hashtags that quickly began trending: #AnswerTheQuestions, #SultanOfSilence, and #EarthShaker.
The Pakistan Connection
The heart of Arnold’s accusation lies in the Sultan’s military past. Before ascending to the throne in 2006, Sa’ad Abubakar served as Nigeria’s Defence Attaché to Pakistan, a strategic post that also covered Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan — countries central to the global war on terror.
Arnold claims that this period marked a turning point for Nigeria. According to him, the introduction of sophisticated jihadist tactics, kidnappings, and suicide bombings in northern Nigeria coincided with the Sultan’s return home.
“The tactics of global jihadist groups, beforehand not seen in Nigeria, came to your caliphate and began to be used against innocent Nigerian citizens concurrent with your return,” Arnold wrote.
Security analysts are divided on this claim. Some agree that the timeline of the Sultan’s return and the emergence of Boko Haram (which became violent around 2009) raises questions worth investigating. Others caution that correlation does not imply causation.
However, the allegations are gaining traction in Washington, particularly among lawmakers already pushing for sanctions against Nigerian officials under the proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, championed by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.
The U.S. Connection and the CPC Blacklist
Arnold’s accusations echo the concerns raised in a separate move by U.S. Congress, which recently reintroduced Nigeria to the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for systemic violations of religious freedom.
The CPC designation, which carries the threat of diplomatic and financial sanctions, was first applied to Nigeria under the Trump administration in 2020. It was later lifted by President Biden, but a renewed push by conservative lawmakers — bolstered by religious freedom advocates like Arnold — is now putting Nigeria back under the microscope.
If the Sultan were to be found complicit or negligent in these alleged abuses, he could be named among Nigerian officials to face Global Magnitsky sanctions, which include travel bans and asset freezes.
The Mineral Wealth Question
Perhaps one of the most explosive claims by Arnold concerns the alleged looting of mineral resources worth $9 billion annually from territories under the Sokoto Caliphate’s influence. Though the claim is difficult to verify, it aligns with longstanding concerns over illegal mining networks operating across Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, and Kaduna — regions under the cultural authority of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Intelligence reports and journalistic investigations have previously tied illegal mining profits to terrorist financing, providing cash for arms purchases, recruitment, and logistics. Arnold’s assertion that the Sultan “personally benefits” from such looting adds a dangerous layer of accusation — one that could carry international criminal implications if substantiated.
Silence, Suspicion, and the Global Stage
The Sultan’s decision not to personally address Arnold’s questions has drawn mixed reactions within Nigeria. While some view it as a dignified refusal to engage with inflammatory rhetoric, others see it as a missed opportunity to clarify his position and reaffirm his moral leadership.
Across social media, the debate rages on. Supporters of the Sultan argue that Arnold’s letter is an orchestrated attack designed to tarnish the image of Islam’s leadership in Nigeria. Critics, however, insist that silence in the face of grave allegations only deepens suspicion.
“You certainly don’t need to respond to me directly,” Arnold had written. “Simply issue a statement addressing these and clear the air once and for all. Why not?”
So far, there has been no indication that the Sultan intends to do so.
The Road Ahead
Diplomatic observers warn that the controversy could further strain Nigeria-U.S. relations, particularly as the U.S. Congress deliberates sanctions targeting Nigerian officials accused of enabling religious persecution.
Should the allegations gain traction at international forums — particularly within the U.N. Human Rights Council or the International Criminal Court (ICC) — the Sultan may find himself under unprecedented scrutiny.
As one senior U.S. religious freedom advocate told DOYA NEWS off the record:
“This is not just about one man or one institution. It’s about accountability for the thousands of innocent people slaughtered in the name of faith. The world is watching.”
Meanwhile, back in Sokoto, the Sultanate Council continues to maintain its calm — issuing no further statements beyond Maccido’s dismissal.
But for many Nigerians, the questions raised by Mike Arnold remain unanswered. And as the hashtags #AnswerTheQuestions and #SultanOfSilence continue to trend, the pressure mounts on one of Africa’s most revered monarchs to finally speak.
For now, the world waits — and watches.
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