The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has raised alarm over the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria, citing escalating abductions, ethnic violence, and a renewed Boko Haram insurgency. In a strongly worded statement, the JNI criticized the Federal Government for repeated intelligence failures and its reactive approach to security challenges. The group specifically condemned the killings of Muslim wedding guests in Plateau State, labeling the perpetrators as “Plateau Christian militias” and decrying the absence of justice for similar past atrocities.
The JNI accused the Plateau State government of a consistent pattern of neglect and bias, referencing numerous past attacks allegedly carried out by Christian groups, including the 2018 murder of General Idris Alkali and several other ambushes on Muslim travelers. It condemned the destruction of mosques and prevention of their reconstruction in Plateau, highlighting a broader pattern of intolerance. The group called for immediate prosecution of those responsible for the latest killings, payment of compensation to victims’ families, and public transparency in judicial proceedings to restore confidence and prevent reprisals.
In response, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Northern Region, through its chairman, Reverend John Hayab, urged JNI to refrain from inflaming religious tensions and instead focus on collaborative solutions. While condemning the Mangu killings, Hayab stressed that framing the conflict as a competition over victimhood would only perpetuate the cycle of violence. He emphasized the need for religious leaders to hold their own communities accountable and promote sincere dialogue and peace-building efforts across Nigeria’s deeply divided regions.
The tension between JNI and CAN reflects a broader national crisis, where religious and ethnic divisions fuel recurring violence. While JNI called out international organisations like the Netherlands-based ORFA for biased reporting in favor of Christians, CAN challenged JNI to provide credible evidence countering the known massacres in Southern Kaduna. Both groups acknowledged the grave security situation and the need for justice, but their sharply opposing narratives underscore the urgency of unified, cross-religious cooperation to halt Nigeria’s descent into normalized bloodshed.
