Nigeria’s traditional rulers have been urged to deepen their role in advancing healthcare, strengthening nutrition, and tackling insecurity, following a call by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
Addressing the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care Delivery (NTLC) in Abuja, the Sultan said their leadership and influence were indispensable in mobilising communities to support public health programmes. He applauded the committee’s 16-year record of driving vaccination campaigns, which he credited with increasing coverage rates significantly.
The Sultan noted that the partnership between government and traditional leaders—particularly their involvement in selecting and supervising vaccinators—has proved highly effective in immunisation campaigns. He called for this collaborative model to be maintained and expanded.
However, he warned that healthcare delivery cannot be viewed in isolation. “Drugs alone will not work without good nutrition, and people cannot farm without security,” he said, urging renewed action to address food insecurity and ensure safety for rural communities.
On the wider security situation, the Sultan condemned ongoing violence, kidnappings, and attacks on places of worship, describing them as un-Islamic, un-Christian, and inhumane. He pledged that the NTLC would continue to support government efforts in promoting health, ensuring food security, and restoring peace across the country.
