Nigerian Human Rights Commission Seeks Arrest of Cleric Over Inflammatory Remarks

Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission has formally requested that federal authorities arrest and prosecute Islamic cleric Sheikh Muhammadu Sani Yahaya Jingir. The commission alleges that the cleric engaged in hate speech and incitement during a political rally in Kano State on August 9. While the commission has called for action from the inspector general of police and the Department of State Services, no arrests or formal charges had been announced as of mid-August.

During the event, which supported Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Jingir urged Muslim voters to secure their political dominance by supporting candidates on Muslim-Muslim tickets. He referred to non-Muslims as “infidels” and challenged claims regarding the size of the Christian population in Nigeria. Because the national census does not track religious affiliation, there is no official data to confirm the demographic balance between the country’s Christian and Muslim populations.

Jingir expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2023 election, which featured a Muslim-Muslim presidential and vice-presidential ticket. This arrangement departed from the traditional practice of balancing the two highest offices between the country's major religious groups. The cleric argued that maintaining such political structures is essential to demonstrating Muslim numerical strength and sustaining influence within the nation.