TheCable

Sa’ad Abubakar III, sultan of Sokoto, has urged the youth not to allow politicians use them for thuggery ahead of the 2019 elections.

Abubakar, who was speaking in his palace in Sokoto, also urged Nigerians to resist attempts by politicians to divide them while campaigning for votes.

“As we are approaching the political era, it is our hope that politicians in the country will allow peace to reign in Nigeria,” he said.

“Our youths should stay peacefully and not to allow selfish politicians to use them in breaching the relative peace in the country.

“Whoever approaches you for thuggery, ask him to lead you in the act.”

The sultan called for caution ahead of the elections, saying “any distraction or violence will only set our democracy backwards and affect all areas of human development”.

He said some of the challenges being experienced in the country are instigated by politicians while urging them to play politics devoid of acrimony and violence.

Lamenting the security challenges across the country, the monarch called on citizens to join hands with the government and to complement the efforts of security agencies.