The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has expressed outrage and grief over the recent brutal killings in Angwan Rukuba, Plateau State, calling for immediate and decisive action from authorities.
The council, in a statement in Wednesday by its Secretary General Dr Nafiu Baba Ahmed, said routine condemnations by authorities are insufficient, adding that leaders must demonstrate political will and operational capacity to end the senseless violence.
While highlighting the sanctity of human life and citing Quranic verses and Hadith, SCSN warned that “the attack’s pattern suggests premeditation and coordination, possibly involving external actors exploiting Nigeria’s socio-religious fault lines.”
The council called for robust intelligence, regional cooperation, and firm state action against perpetrators.
The SCSN also expressed concern over the escalating insecurity in North-East and North-West Nigeria, condoling with Plateau State’s government and affected families.
It urged religious leaders to promote restraint and peace, and citizens to identify and shun violence inciters.
Read below the complete statement by the SCSN titled “ENOUGH OF THE CONDEMNATION: ACT NOW!”
1) The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) expresses its deepest outrage and grief on the recent brutal killings of innocent citizens at Angwan Rukuba in Jos, Plateau State. This heinous act represents yet another tragic reminder of the persistent fragility of human life in our nation and the urgent need for decisive and responsible action by relevant authorities.
2) The continued cycle of violence followed only by routine condemnations from authorities is no longer acceptable. Statements without corresponding action have become painfully predictable and insufficient. The primary responsibility of government at all levels is the protection of lives and property. It is time for our leaders and security agencies to rise beyond rhetoric and demonstrate the political will and operational capacity required to end these senseless killings.
3) Islam places the highest premium on the sanctity of human life, irrespective of religious or ethnic identity. Allah SWT says in the Glorious Qur’an: “Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely; and whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (Qur’an 5:32). Similarly, the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is reported in Sahih Bukhari to have said: “A believer remains within the scope of his religion as long as he does not kill unlawfully.” These clear injunctions affirm that the taking of innocent life, whether Muslim or Christian, is a grave crime before Allah and a violation of the very essence of humanity.
4) The nature and pattern of the Angwan Rukuba attack strongly suggest a premeditated and coordinated act, carefully designed to trigger wider religious and communal conflict in an already fragile environment. This raises serious concerns about the activities of well-funded and highly coordinated interest groups, including foreign elements who have, over time, been implicated in the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, the cross-border movement of armed fighters, and the clandestine financing of violent networks operating within Nigeria.
5) These external actors, often working through local collaborators, exploit our socio-religious fault lines to foment discord, weaken national cohesion, and sustain cycles of violence for geopolitical and economic interests. Such forces, both their external sponsors and their internal enablers, must be urgently identified, exposed, and decisively dealt with through robust intelligence, regional cooperation, and firm state action.
6) Furthermore, we are deeply alarmed by the escalating insecurity across the North-East and North-West regions of Nigeria, where communities continue to suffer from insurgency, banditry, and mass killings. Equally distressing is the recent loss of our gallant officers and soldiers who have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty. Their sacrifices must not be in vain; rather, they should compel a renewed and effective national security response.
7) The Council extends its heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of Plateau State, and to all families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic incident and in similar acts of violence across the country. We pray that Allah SWT give their families the strength to bear these irreparable losses.
8) We call on religious leaders across all faiths to rise to this critical moment by guiding their followers toward restraint, peace, and mutual respect. Citizen must also play a proactive role in identifying and shaming individuals or groups who incite violence and hatred within our communities. Silence or neutrality in the face of incitement only emboldens perpetrators.
9) The Council strongly advises a thorough and credible investigation of triggers, some of which are visible and vocal in their desire to deepen hostility against specific faiths in and around Plateau State. Accordingly, steps must be taken to assure communities that they are safe. Security personnel must be vigilant and impartial in the manner they deal with breaches and instigations. Religious leaders should cooperate with the Government and support each other to find peace and avoid escalating the conflict with rumours and unfounded accusations.
10) Finally, we urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant, law-abiding, and united against those who seek to divide us. We must collectively reject violence and commit ourselves to prayers and constructive efforts toward peace, justice, and national development. Nigeria must not continue on this dangerous path. The time for decisive action is now.
Nafiu Baba Ahmad, mni
Secretary General
Issued this 13th day of Shawwal 1447 AH (1st April 2026)
