You can’t use stolen money for Hajj, Jerusalem and expect God’s acceptance — Sultan

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged religious leaders in Nigeria to join the fight against corruption, warning that money obtained through corrupt means cannot be used to secure divine blessings.

The Sultan stated this on Wednesday at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), held under the theme, “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria”.

He said religious leaders had a responsibility to condemn corruption and support the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its efforts to prosecute individuals involved in financial crimes.

According to him, it was wrong for individuals to steal public or private funds and subsequently use such proceeds to sponsor people to Mecca for Hajj or Jerusalem for religious pilgrimages.

“God Almighty doesn’t like corruption, he doesn’t love corruption. You cannot steal money and then send people to Jerusalem and Mecca with corrupt money, and then you think God will accept your deeds. No,” the Sultan said.

He maintained that corrupt proceeds could not become acceptable simply because they were used for religious purposes.

“God is not corrupt, so he doesn’t like corruption. So you cannot use corrupt money to send people to Jerusalem or to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or for any other thing,” he added.

The Sultan called on religious leaders to work with EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, in the fight against corruption, stressing that no individual should be shielded from prosecution because of his or her religious status.

He said pastors, imams, religious leaders, relatives and friends who violated the law should be allowed to face justice.

“Whoever is involved, even our brothers, our sisters, our fathers, our friends, those involved, should face the law. And law is not a respecter of anybody,” he said.

The Sultan specifically cautioned against using religious positions as a basis for seeking preferential treatment for individuals facing corruption allegations.

“When he is facing the law, don’t tell me he is the pastor of a church, he is the chief imam of a mosque. We don’t want to hear that,” he said.

He urged the EFCC to investigate and prosecute suspects based on the law, irrespective of their religious affiliation or political connections.

“Let the EFCC Chairman go after that person, whoever it is, and deal with him according to the law,” the Sultan said.

He further urged the anti-graft agency to remain firm and avoid political interference in the discharge of its responsibilities.

“And dealing with him according to the law, don’t deviate, don’t listen to politics or political leaders,” he added.

The Sultan’s remarks came as religious leaders and the EFCC leadership discussed the role of faith institutions in promoting ethical conduct and tackling corruption at the NIREC meeting.