The Boko Haram insurgency ravaging the country is God's way of punishing Nigerians for disobeying his commands through the years, according to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll.

Daily Trust reports that the Sultan, who was represented by the Emir of Jiwa, Dr. Idris Musa, at the 5th International Conference on 'Love and Tolerance: Countering Violent Extremism for Peaceful Coexistence', in Abuja, said Nigerians are living in sin and have refused to abide by the teachings of the Quran and Bible.

Expressing dismay over the spate of insecurity in the country, the Sultan lamented that it has reached a stage where the rich are avoiding the poor.

“The security challenge is our problem. The Holy Quran is a message to mankind. The Holy Bible is a message to mankind. If we cannot listen to what the Bible and Quran have taught us and we continue in our bad ways, what do we expect?" Abubakar reportedly asked.

He continued, “It is part of the punishment we are receiving based on our sins. If we can stop committing sin and abide by God’s words, things will change."

The Sultan however expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome the security challenges bedeviling it.

He said, "We can win the fight against insurgency. Everyone is afraid of each other, but I am sure that we are going to win the war. Today, it has reached a situation where a senior citizen is running away from the common man, because, he is thinking that he would lose his life, why?"