The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan’s appointment as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), citing concerns over a 2020 legal brief the new electoral chief authored.

The demand follows an exclusive report by SaharaReporters alleging that Prof. Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, once authored a document describing violence in the North as “Christian genocide” and linking insecurity to the 19th-century Jihad of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio.

In a statement issued Friday, November 7, 2025 (16th Jumada I 1447 AH), the SCSN said it received with “deep disappointment and grave concern” the revelations contained in the report titled “Nigeria’s Silent Slaughter”, published by the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON).

The council said, “If indeed Prof. Amupitan authored the said document, his submissions are not only unbecoming of a person of learning but dangerously inimical to the unity, peace, and stability of our country.”

The group described the claims attributed to Amupitan as “divisive, sectarian, abusive, and factually inaccurate narratives against a majority faith community.”

The Shari’ah Council insisted that the violence ravaging Northern and North-Central Nigeria is not religious persecution but a complex mix of banditry, extremism, poverty, and social injustice.

It noted, “The reality is that the violence in Northern and North-Central Nigeria is complex and multi-dimensional. Both Muslims and Christians have suffered immensely.”

The council added that credible humanitarian data shows Muslims account for the overwhelming majority of casualties.
“Over 90 percent of the victims are Muslims,” the statement said.

The group also condemned Amupitan’s alleged attempt to associate modern insecurity with the historic jihad of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio.

According to the SCSN, “The Jihad of Sheikh Uthman was not a war of hatred or extermination; it was a spiritual, moral, and social reform movement… These instituted ideals are still admired across the African continent today.”

“He Lacks The Neutrality To Run Elections” — Shari’ah Council Insists

The council argued that Amupitan’s writings “call into serious question” his capacity to oversee elections in a diverse nation like Nigeria.

It stated, “Presiding over Nigeria’s electoral system demands the highest standards of neutrality, fairness, and inclusivity. By his own words, Prof. Amupitan has demonstrated a deep-seated prejudice.”

The council, therefore, called on President Tinubu to “immediately review and reverse” the appointment, stressing that “the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process cannot be entrusted to someone whose record reveals open hostility toward one of the country’s largest faith communities.”

Despite its strong position, the SCSN urged Nigerians across all faiths to remain calm and avoid inflaming tensions.

It said, “We urge all Nigerians, Muslims and Christians alike, to reject narratives that seek to pit one faith against another. Our common enemies are injustice, corruption, poverty, and insecurity.”

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to peace, unity, and truth based on fairness and mutual respect.