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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has publicly named Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir and Senator Francis Fadahunsi over statements it says have “crossed the red line for decency” and risk fuelling violence ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, SAN, issued the warning at a press conference on Thursday at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja, saying the two public figures’ remarks had the potential to denigrate individuals or groups, deepen social divisions, heighten tensions and instigate violence.
Ojukwu invoked the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda as a stark historical warning of where unchecked hate speech can lead, while stressing that Nigeria was not at that point.
“Nigeria is not Rwanda, but the Commission suggests that the situation if unchecked could escalate circumstances into uncontrolled violence and chaos,” he said, insisting that societies “must not wait until inflammatory rhetoric translates into violence before taking preventive action.”
The NHRC chief said the intervention was not directed at any political party, religious group, ethnic community or individual, but was a human rights measure aimed at protecting the dignity of every Nigerian and preserving conditions for peaceful, credible elections.
While affirming freedom of expression as a fundamental right, Ojukwu said it carried responsibilities and “does not provide a licence to incite violence, promote hatred, dehumanise others or deliberately provoke hostility against persons or communities.” He listed erosion of human dignity, incitement to violence, voter intimidation, and deepening ethnic and religious divisions among the consequences of hate speech left unaddressed.
The Commission issued a seven-point call to action covering political leaders, parties, religious and traditional leaders, law enforcement, the media, social media users and citizens. It urged public officials and candidates to exercise the highest responsibility in political communication, called on parties to sanction inflammatory conduct by their members, and pressed traditional and religious leaders to use their influence for peace rather than division.
Ojukwu also urged law enforcement to act on credible cases of incitement and threats “in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, while respecting due process,” and called on journalists to avoid amplifying harmful content without verification and context. He asked social media users to verify information before sharing content capable of provoking hatred or violence.
“We must act before rhetoric becomes violence. We must promote dialogue before division becomes conflict. And we must protect human dignity before violations become irreversible,” he said.
The NHRC boss said the Commission would continue monitoring developments, documenting human rights concerns and engaging stakeholders throughout the electoral cycle, warning that the 2027 elections “must be contests of ideas, policies, programmes, competence and service not contests defined by hatred, ethnic hostility or religious antagonism.”
He closed with a direct appeal to Nigerians: “Let us disagree without dehumanising one another. Let us compete without destroying one another. Let us campaign without inciting one another. And let us protect the Nigeria we all share.”
