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The remarks made by Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, in which he urged voters, especially those from the North, to back a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections and called on Muslims to “show the infidels their limit”, have continued to generate controversy.
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has condemned what it described as “incendiary and deeply troubling” remarks by Jingir.
During a mass wedding in Kano attended by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, the cleric was captured in a video urging Muslims to support a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the next presidential election.
CHRICED’s Executive Secretary, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, in a statement on Thursday, declared that Jingir did not speak for the majority of Nigerian Muslims, many of whom, he said, have borne the brunt of worsening economic hardship and insecurity under the current administration.
Zikirullahi contended that since the inauguration of the Tinubu-Shettima Muslim-Muslim presidency in May 2023, the number of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria had risen sharply. He added that street begging had become normalised, while poverty and unemployment had worsened.
He stressed that it was reckless, insensitive and profoundly un-Islamic for any cleric to urge citizens to persist on a path that had brought untold suffering to millions.
He maintained that referring to fellow Nigerians as “infidels” violated the teachings of Islam, adding that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said that “a Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe.”
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“CHRICED affirms the constitutional rights of all Nigerians to freedom of religion, belief, association and political participation.
“However, these rights must never be weaponised to promote religious supremacy, exclusion or the dehumanisation of citizens of other faiths.
“It is precisely such incendiary rhetoric that has, in the past, fuelled extremist movements like Boko Haram and other violent groups that continue to threaten Nigeria’s stability. True jihad demands confronting bad governance, holding power to account, and promoting the wellbeing of all citizens.
“Nigeria is a multi-religious nation, and political power belongs to all Nigerians. Leadership must be anchored on competence, integrity, accountability and service — not religious identity. Our prayer remains: May Allah not place in authority anyone who will show Nigerians no mercy.
“It is equally disturbing that neither the Presidency nor the governors present at the event have publicly denounced Sheikh Jingir’s divisive rhetoric,” he said.
He warned that inflammatory religious rhetoric during this sensitive pre-election period “is akin to beating war drums”.
He called for immediate action against the cleric to safeguard national unity and prevent a descent into sectarian conflict.
