The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir over remarks it described as hateful, divisive and capable of inciting religious violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, made the call while condemning a viral video in which the cleric allegedly canvassed for religiously exclusive politics and referred to some Nigerians as “infidels” while urging his supporters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to “show their limit.”
Ojukwu said the remarks were a direct affront to the principles of equality, non-discrimination and peaceful coexistence guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
“The Commission finds these remarks to be hate speech and incitement to religious hatred and potential violence,” Ojukwu said.
He warned that such statements were particularly dangerous as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections, stressing that inflammatory rhetoric could deepen religious divisions and trigger violence.
“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,” he stated.
The NHRC boss cautioned that failure by authorities to act against inflammatory statements could encourage other influential individuals, including religious leaders, to make more provocative comments.
“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 warned.
Ojukwu, who is also the Chief Human Rights Officer of Nigeria, therefore urged the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant authorities to immediately arrest and prosecute Sheikh Jingir over alleged hate speech and incitement.
He stressed that any prosecution should be based on the alleged conduct and not the suspect’s status or political affiliation, arguing that decisive action would serve as a deterrent to others seeking to exploit religion for political purposes.
The Executive Secretary also called on religious leaders, traditional rulers and politicians to shun divisive rhetoric and identity-based politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
He urged Nigerians to assess political leaders based on competence, service delivery and respect for human rights rather than religious or ethnic considerations.
“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,” Ojukwu said.
