Nigeria: 'Nigeria Not for Muslims Alone', TEKAN/ECWA Youths Tackle Jingir

What the report says

The Youth Wing of the TEKAN/ECWA Fellowship has criticized remarks attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, saying a viral video of the comments could deepen religious tension in Nigeria. The response was reported by Vanguard and distributed by AllAfrica, with the group speaking in Jalingo through its national youth president, Bako Adashu Elijah.

Elijah argued that Nigeria is a plural country made up of people of different faiths and said no religion has exclusive ownership of the state. He also said citizens should be free to practise their faith and take part in politics without being targeted on religious grounds. According to the report, he expressed concern that some public figures present at the event appeared to welcome the cleric’s remarks rather than condemn them.

The youth leader called on Jingir to withdraw the statement and apologize, and urged Nigeria’s Department of State Services and the police to investigate. He also criticized what he described as silence from the federal government and security agencies, warning that inflammatory rhetoric should not be allowed to grow unchecked.

The dispute matters because it reflects continuing sensitivities over religion, political identity and public speech in Nigeria. In a broader context, the country has often faced tensions linked to faith and politics, making calls for restraint and tolerance especially significant.