The Federal Government has remained silent regarding a 2020 legal brief reportedly authored by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan.
In the document, he allegedly described the Boko Haram insurgency and attacks linked to so-called “Fulani herdsmen” as a coordinated anti-Christian campaign requiring international intervention.
The legal brief in question was published in 2020 in a report titled Nigeria’s Silent Slaughter: Genocide in Nigeria and the Implications for the International Community, produced by the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON) and the International Organisation on Peace-building & Social Justice (PSJ). Amupitan contributed an 80-page chapter titled “Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria.”
The report alleged systemic killings of Christians in Nigeria and called for international intervention.
The Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, when contacted, stated that the Senate was unaware of such a document during the confirmation process.
“I have never seen it. We are not privy to it. This is something not before us,” he said.
According to a report obtained by Politics Nigeria, efforts to obtain comments from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not responded to.
Also, Prof. Amupitan has yet to speak on the matter. Multiple calls to his mobile line by Daily Trust went unanswered, and text messages also received no reply. His Chief Press Secretary, Dayo Oketola, was also unreachable.
Sources close to the INEC chairman indicated that he had been occupied with preparations for the Anambra governorship election held over the weekend.
Prof. Amupitan was sworn in as INEC Chairman on 23 October by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after Senate confirmation.
The legal brief alleged that the pattern of killings and displacement in Nigeria fits the definition of genocide under international law. It further accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect affected communities or ensure justice for victims.
This resurfaced at a time when the federal government had again dismissed similar allegations, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged Christian genocide and his threat of possible military action. Nigerian authorities insist that insecurity affects people of all religions, not only Christians.
In the document, written while he was a lecturer at the University of Jos, Amupitan stated that:
“Crimes under international law, including crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide,” were being committed in Nigeria.
Authorities and investigators had refused to categorise the violence as genocide. Both state and non-state actors were allegedly involved, complicating the situation.
Therefore, there was need for neutral third-party intervention, including the United Nations, regional bodies, and global powers.
He argued that Boko Haram sought the Islamisation of Nigeria and claimed that Fulani armed groups shared a similar anti-Christian agenda. He further alleged that historical political structures favoured the Hausa-Fulani group.
Amupitan recommended that the U.S. Department of State refer Nigeria’s situation to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The United Nations Security Council encourages signatories to the Genocide Convention to file a case against Nigeria at the International Court of Justice, and military intervention by UN, AU, or ECOWAS forces be considered as a last resort.
The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria, in a statement signed by Secretary-General Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, described the legal brief as “toxic, provocative and bigoted,” accusing Amupitan of misrepresenting the history of Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio’s jihad and the nature of conflicts in Northern Nigeria.
The council said the document projected a one-sided narrative that ignores the fact that both Muslims and Christians have suffered from extremism, banditry, and communal violence linked to poverty and social breakdown.
It argued that the position of INEC Chairman requires strict neutrality and inclusiveness, and that the sentiments contained in the brief call Amupitan’s suitability into question. The council therefore urged President Tinubu to review his appointment.