Sheikh Jingir Denies Anti-Christian Allegations, Charges Tinubu on Fairness for All Nigerians

Islamic cleric clarifies remarks amid backlash over Kano mass wedding comments, urges leaders to govern without religious or political bias

JOS—Chairman of the Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has dismissed allegations that he harbours hatred towards Christians, describing the claims as “mere lies” and a misinterpretation of his recent remarks. The Islamic cleric came under heavy criticism following comments he made at a mass wedding ceremony organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, which some Nigerians described as divisive along religious lines. The controversy was further fueled by the Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) , which condemned his reported description of Christians as “Arna,” a Hausa term meaning infidel or unbeliever. Speaking at a one-day national symposium with the theme, “Enhanced Political Participation and Social Justice as a Panacea for Unity and Development in Nigeria,” held in Jos on Sunday, Jingir insisted his remarks were not intended to express hatred towards Christians or non-Muslims.

Addressing the gathering, the JIBWIS chairman stated categorically that the allegations against him were unfounded and a gross misinterpretation of his earlier comments. “A lot of people are saying I dislike Christians. I didn’t say I dislike Christians. It is a lie. My remarks were misinterpreted,” Jingir declared. He further explained that Islamic teachings demand fairness and justice for people of all faiths, stressing that Muslims would be held accountable on the Day of Judgement for any injustice committed against non-Muslims. According to the cleric, “Leadership in Islam is not about cheating people of different faiths. Islam teaches us to share love with people of different faiths or sects.” He added that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) lived peacefully with people of other faiths, urging Nigerians to promote peaceful coexistence as a cornerstone of national development.

READ ALSO:

• MUSCOYS Honours Pioneering Educationist with Commendation Award
• Ronke Oshodi Oke: I Won’t Object If My Husband Marries Second Wife
• Veteran Nollywood Actor Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’ Dies at 66 After Cancer Battle

In a direct address to the nation’s political leaders, Jingir urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, state governors, and other officials to ensure fairness and justice in discharging their responsibilities, regardless of citizens’ ethnic, religious, or political affiliations. “I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to cheat non-Muslims and Muslims alike. I also call on you not to cheat those who are not in the same political party with you. You should lead with justice and fairness to all Nigerians,” he said. The JIBWIS chairman also affirmed every Nigerian’s right to freely choose and support candidates of their choice during elections, stating that “everyone has the right to vote for whoever he feels is okay with him to vote for during an election.”

The controversy surrounding Jingir’s earlier comments has drawn widespread reactions from various quarters. The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) had warned that referring to Christians as “Arna” was inaccurate and amounted to a denigration of the Christian faith. In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Isaac Abrak, the group declared that “Christians are faithful believers in Jesus Christ, whom we worship as the Son of the Almighty God. We are not ‘infidels’ or people without faith.” NCYP warned that such rhetoric could “reopen old religious wounds” and provide fertile ground for extremists to exploit, while also calling on moderate Muslim leaders, Islamic scholars, and responsible religious leaders to publicly reject statements capable of inflaming religious sentiments.

In a separate development, a Christian advocacy organisation, RID Nigeria, demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Sheikh Jingir over his public labelling of Christians as “infidels,” citing violations of the Constitution, the Cybercrimes Act, and the Terrorism Prevention Act. The National Human Rights Commission had similarly called for Jingir’s arrest over a week ago, though no action has reportedly been taken. Despite the backlash, Jingir urged Nigerians to embrace peace, unity and togetherness, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved in an atmosphere of insecurity and division. “Without peace, there will be no development,” he said, calling on citizens to strengthen peaceful coexistence among the country’s various ethnic and religious groups.

Sheikh Jingir Denies Anti-Christian Allegations, Charges Tinubu on Fairness for All Nigerians

Amnesty demands probe into alleged killings, disappearances, police abuses in South-East

UMUAHIA, Abia State — Amnesty International has called for urgent investigations into alleged unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrests and other human rights violations in South-East Nigeria, urging security agencies to account for people allegedly taken into custody.

The rights organisation made the call in Umuahia during the presentation and campaign launch of its report, A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria.

Amnesty said families across the region had continued to live with uncertainty over the fate of relatives who allegedly disappeared following encounters with security personnel, while some others were reportedly found dead.

The organisation urged security agencies to either charge detainees to court or release them, stressing that prolonged detention without trial violates fundamental rights and undermines the rule of law.

Amnesty researcher Maurice Chukwu said the organisation had received accounts of young people from the South-East who were allegedly being held in police detention facilities without trial.

He said families had shared what he described as disturbing accounts of relatives who allegedly disappeared after being arrested by security operatives and whose whereabouts remained unknown for years.

Chukwu also raised concerns about alleged abuses involving the police tactical unit popularly known as Tiger Base, including allegations of extortion, intimidation, torture and unlawful detention.

Amnesty’s concerns over Tiger Base follow a separate 2026 investigation in which the organisation alleged that officers attached to the unit in Imo State were involved in serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, extortion, enforced disappearances and deaths in custody.

Amnesty called for independent and impartial investigations into the allegations and urged authorities to ensure that anyone found responsible is held accountable.

READ ALSO:

• Lagos Moves to Tackle Housing Deficit, Inaugurates 2026 World Habitat Day Committee
• Lagos Moves to Tackle Housing Deficit, Inaugurates 2026 World Habitat Day Committee
• Hawk Fire in US Rages On, Burns 10,500 Acres in Nevada, Forces Mass Evacuations

The organisation’s broader report on the South-East documented the scale of violence in the region and stated that at least 1,844 people were killed between January 2021 and June 2023.

The report attributed violence to a range of actors, including security forces, armed groups, criminal gangs, vigilantes and other non-state actors. Amnesty stressed that accountability should apply to all perpetrators, regardless of whether they are state or non-state actors.

At the Umuahia event, Amnesty campaigner Samson Abobarin said the organisation was submitting a petition signed by concerned residents to governors in the South-East.

According to him, the petition calls on the governors to put pressure on security agencies to provide information about people allegedly taken away during security operations.

Representing the Abia State Attorney-General, Director of the Citizens’ Rights Department in the Ministry of Justice, Chinoyerem Patience Onyemenam, said the state government had zero tolerance for human rights abuses and injustice.

She acknowledged that while many police officers remained committed to their duties, concerns had been raised about some operational practices. She assured participants that the issues presented at the event would be investigated.

A representative of the Abia State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Nkechi Okoji, also supported the campaign and recounted the alleged arrest and extortion of a medical student from Aba.

She alleged that the student was arrested by police officers, taken to a location far from where he was picked up and subsequently extorted.

The campaign also featured emotional testimonies from relatives who said their husbands, brothers and sons had disappeared or died following encounters with security operatives.

Esther Chilem alleged that her husband, Godspower Chilem, was arrested at the premises of Life Gate Church in Aba on June 23, 2022.

She said she was subsequently informed that he had been taken to the Rapid Response Squad but that repeated efforts to locate him at police detention facilities were unsuccessful.

READ ALSO:

• ICPC uncovers alleged fake agency claiming 2017 FEC approval after nine years
• Rivers Monarch Escapes Assassination as Gunmen Raze Palace, Several Wounded
• 2027: Over 500 Northern Muslim Clerics Endorse Tinubu for Second Term

Another petitioner, Carolina Chukwuma, alleged that her husband, Chukwuma Mwaokike, was arrested by the Department of State Services at St Paul Junction, Aba, on April 26, 2021.

She said she later received information that he had been transferred to the Central Police Station in Aba and appealed to authorities to establish his whereabouts or secure his release.

Cecilia Anonorachi said her husband, Christian Ifeanyi, was arrested in Aba in 2023 and had not been seen since.

She appealed to Abia State Governor Alex Otti to intervene and assist families whose relatives were allegedly missing after encounters with security agencies.

Another petitioner, Nicholas Egekwu, alleged that police officers attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Umuahia took several young people away following an attack by unknown gunmen.

He said his two sons, Obinna and Onyebuchi, were among those taken away and that he later discovered their bodies at a mortuary in Umuahia.

“It remains the saddest day of my life,” Egekwu said, according to his testimony at the event.

A human rights activist trained by Amnesty International, Samuel Agwu, also called for an independent investigation into alleged disappearances and security operations in the region.

Agwu alleged that many families were afraid to speak publicly about missing relatives because of concerns about possible reprisals.

He further alleged that some young people arrested during security operations were being held for prolonged periods without trial, including people allegedly taken into custody during operations in Obigbo, Rivers State.

Amnesty’s campaign comes amid a complex security situation in the South-East, where authorities have been battling attacks blamed on armed separatist groups, criminal networks and other armed actors.

The organisation’s research has emphasised that the violence cannot be attributed to a single group. Its report documented alleged abuses involving both security agencies and non-state actors, including IPOB/ESN, unknown gunmen, cult groups, vigilantes and Ebube Agu.

Amnesty has therefore called for accountability across the board, insisting that violations committed by security personnel should be investigated just as abuses allegedly committed by armed and criminal groups must also be addressed.

The organisation’s separate investigation into Tiger Base alleged that detainees were subjected to beatings and other forms of torture, while some were allegedly held in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

Amnesty also documented allegations of extortion and deaths in custody and called for an independent investigation into the conduct of officers attached to the unit.

The organisation has said authorities must ensure that victims and their families have access to justice, effective remedies and appropriate reparations where violations are established.

The campaign also comes after Nigerian authorities announced changes concerning the Tiger Base operational structure following widespread concerns over alleged abuses. Amnesty said it would continue monitoring the implementation of the measures.

For families whose relatives remain missing, however, the demand remains straightforward: they want authorities to establish what happened to their loved ones and provide official answers.

Amnesty said security operations must comply with Nigerian law and international human rights standards, stressing that efforts to combat insecurity should not come at the expense of fundamental rights.

The organisation maintained that lasting peace and stability in the South-East would require not only effective security measures but also accountability, justice, transparency and respect for the rule of law.

Amnesty demands probe into alleged killings, disappearances, police abuses in South-East