The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, has condemned the worsening insecurity across Nigeria, accusing the federal government of failing to act decisively.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Professor Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the group criticised the authorities for lacking a proactive security strategy amid the resurgence of killings, abductions, and Boko Haram attacks.
“The Federal Government should be seen to be proactive on security matters,” JNI said. “The recurrence of security cataclysms, including abductions, killings, renewed attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and ethnic violence here and there in Nigeria is alarming, and there is urgent need for redress.”
JNI claimed that recent events, including the murder of Muslim wedding guests in Plateau State, reveal a pattern of deliberate and repeated violence. The group blamed “Plateau Christian militias” for what it described as “barbaric” and “premeditated” attacks.
JNI Lists Past Attacks, Demands Justice and Compensation
According to JNI, Muslims have suffered targeted attacks on major roads in Plateau State for years.
“They have continued to perpetrate serial attacks on innocent Muslims travelling along routes of the Plateau over the years… In fact, they brazenly attacked Muslim worshippers on an Eid day on Tuesday, August 30, 2011,” the statement read.
It recalled other incidents of religious tension, including the demolition of a Friday mosque in Mangu and the decades-long delay in rebuilding the Central Mosque in Langtang North.
JNI demanded public prosecution of those arrested over the Mangu killings and financial compensation for the bereaved families.
“Condemnations alone can never stop these repeated madness, hence a decisive action by governments must be seen to be done swiftly. Justice delayed is justice denied,” the group insisted.
They also criticised Plateau State’s silence, questioning why its officials failed to visit Kaduna or engage with the victims’ families, unlike the swift response seen from Edo State’s governor during a similar tragedy.
JNI urged groups such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) to take legal steps to ensure accountability.
CAN Responds, Urges End to Blame Game and Calls for Unity
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) rejected JNI’s claims and called for honesty and peace. Reverend John Hayab, CAN Chairman for the 19 Northern states and the FCT, advised religious leaders to stop trading accusations.
“Let them fear God now. That is my response,” he said. “When we reduce these killings to lies, accusations, or a competition for sympathy, the violence in Nigeria will never end.”
He urged sincerity from all sides, asking, “Who is killing whom in Southern Kaduna? Where we have buried 30, 40, 50, 20, even 10 people at once?”
Hayab dismissed accusations of media bias against Muslims and defended Christian responses to attacks. “Can they come forward and paint a different picture from what I know?”
He insisted he had condemned the Mangu killings. “When the Mangu incident occurred, I publicly condemned it and described it as driven by the wrong spirit,” he said. “I’ve made that clear in numerous media interviews. What more do they want?”
Calling for unity, he concluded, “If we truly want to address the root causes of this crisis, we must stop pointing fingers and call a spade a spade.”
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