 Mutallab was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the Niger, one of Nigeria's highest honours.Though very religious, Mutallab does not consider himself a religious extremist, explaining that he learned the capacity for tolerance while attending Barewa College which had students from many parts of the country and 'gives' a feeling of togetherness.He is also a member of the Kaduna Mafia, a loose group of Nigerian businessmen, civil servants, intellectuals and military officers from Northern Nigeria, who resided or conducted their activities in Kaduna, the former capital of the region towards the end of the First Republic.