NHRC Demands Immediate Arrest, Prosecution of Sheikh Jingir Over Hate Speech
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, over what it described as hateful and inciting remarks capable of aggravating religious tensions ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, made the demand after the NHRC reviewed a viral video in which the cleric allegedly canvassed religiously exclusive politics and urged his supporters to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to “show their limit”.
Ojukwu, who condemned the remarks in strong terms, said the cleric’s reference to people of other faiths as “infidels”, coupled with his political exhortations, constituted a dangerous attempt to mobilise citizens along religious lines.
