2.11.06

Nigeria appoints new spiritual head for country's Muslims

Nigeria on Thursday appointed a new spiritual head to lead the country's huge Muslim community, succeeding the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Maccido, who died in a plane crash at the weekend.

The secretary to the Sokoto State government, Maigari Dingyadi, announced in a radio broadcast that Maccido's younger brother, Muhammadu Sada Abubakar III, had been appointed to replace him.

The 50-year-old Nigerian army colonel becomes the 20th sultan since the establishment of the Sokoto caliphate in 1804 following an Islamic holy war.

Abubakar was among three people whose names were submitted to the government by a 10-member council of kingmakers.

President Olusegun congratulated the new sultan on Thursday.

"Obasanjo has received with delight the news of the emergence of Alhaji Mohammadu Abubakar as the new Sultan of Sokoto," the government said in a statement.

"On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, Mr President congratulates the new sultan and wishes him a successful reign," it added.

The sultan is the spiritual head of the more than 50 million Muslims in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa with a population of around 130 million.

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