The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir.
The Commission warned that inflammatory religious rhetoric could deepen Nigeria’s fault lines and trigger election-related violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Executive Secretary of NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, issued the warning after reviewing a viral video in which Jingir allegedly made comments advocating religiously exclusive politics, described adherents of other faiths as “infidels” and urged his supporters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards to “show their limit.”
Ojukwu described the alleged remarks as “hate speech and incitement to religious hatred and potential violence,” warning that such statements by influential religious figures could further polarise the country as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
“At a time when we are preparing for another general election, such utterances are reckless and dangerous.
“They serve no purpose other than to divide Nigerians along religious lines and set citizens against one another,” Ojukwu said.
The NHRC consequently called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, and other relevant authorities to immediately arrest and prosecute the cleric.
Ojukwu, who is also Nigeria’s Chief Human Rights Officer, said prosecution should be pursued irrespective of Jingir’s status, influence or political affiliation, stressing that decisive action was necessary to deter other religious and political actors from exploiting religion for electoral mobilisation.
“We cannot afford to look away. If we fail to speak and act now, we embolden both Christian and Muslim clerics and other influential persons to make worse statements in the coming months. That path leads only to crisis,” he said.
The Commission said the alleged remarks were inconsistent with the principles of equality, non-discrimination and peaceful coexistence guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
It also warned religious leaders, politicians and traditional rulers against making inflammatory statements capable of aggravating tensions as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
The NHRC urged Nigerians to reject identity-based politics and assess political leaders based on competence, service delivery and respect for human rights, rather than religious or ethnic affiliation.
Ojukwu said the Commission would continue to monitor inflammatory statements and collaborate with security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and civil society organisations to prevent hate speech from escalating into election-related violence.
“The Commission will continue to monitor compliance and will engage with security agencies, INEC, and civil society to ensure that the 2027 elections are free from hate and violence,” he said.
