The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has expressed serious concern over allegations that the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, authored a controversial legal brief containing what it described as “provocative, distorted, and bigoted assertions” against Northern Muslims and the historic legacy of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio.
In a statement issued on Friday signed by the SCSN Secretary-General the Council described the revelations, first published by Sahara Reporters, as “deeply disturbing,” questioning how an individual “now entrusted with safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic integrity” could have made such divisive remarks.
“If indeed Prof. Amupitan authored the said document, his submissions are not only unbecoming of a person of learning but dangerously inimical to the unity, peace, and stability of our country,” the statement read.
The Council refuted what it called “false and mischievous” claims in the alleged publication that framed Northern violence as an extension of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio’s 19th-century jihad or as evidence of a “Christian genocide.”
According to the SCSN, “the reality is that violence in Northern Nigeria is complex and multi-dimensional,” affecting both Muslims and Christians alike. The group maintained that available data show that Muslims have borne the greater brunt of insecurity in states such as Borno, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, and Yobe.
“The attempt to link contemporary insecurity with the historic Jihad of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio is a malicious distortion of history and a deliberate misrepresentation of one of West Africa’s most revered reform movements,” the Council stated.
The group further questioned Prof. Amupitan’s neutrality, saying the alleged document reflects “deep-seated prejudice” incompatible with the responsibilities of an INEC Chairman in a multi-religious society.
“It is therefore astonishing and troubling that someone with such open bias could have passed a security and background clearance before appointment,” the statement added, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “critically review” the appointment to protect the credibility of the electoral body.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace and unity, the Council urged Nigerians to “reject divisive narratives” and focus instead on confronting “our common enemies; injustice, corruption, poverty, and insecurity.”
