Tension Builds: Shari’ah Council Accuses INEC Boss Amupitan Of Bias, Seeks His Dismissal Over Genocide Claim

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately revoke the appointment of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), citing concerns over a 2020 legal brief allegedly authored by the new electoral chief.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The call followed a report by SaharaReporters alleging that Prof. Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had written a document describing violence in Northern Nigeria as a “Christian genocide” while linking insecurity to the 19th-century Jihad of Sheikh Uthman dan Fodio.

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

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

Describing the alleged claims as “divisive, sectarian, and factually inaccurate,” the group argued that the violence plaguing Northern and North-Central Nigeria is not religious persecution but rather a mix of criminality, extremism, poverty, and social injustice.

“The reality is that the violence in these regions is complex and multi-dimensional. Both Muslims and Christians have suffered immensely,” the statement noted, adding that humanitarian reports indicate that “over 90 percent of the victims are Muslims.”

The council also faulted Amupitan’s alleged attempt to link modern-day insecurity to Sheikh Uthman dan Fodio’s historic jihad, stressing that it was “a moral and social reform movement” rather than a campaign of hatred or extermination.

“He Lacks the Neutrality to Oversee Elections” — SCSN

The Shari’ah Council said Amupitan’s past writings raise “serious doubts” about his ability to manage Nigeria’s electoral process impartially.

“Presiding over elections in a multi-religious nation demands the highest standards of neutrality, fairness, and inclusivity. By his own words, Prof. Amupitan has demonstrated a deep-seated bias,” it stated.

The council, therefore, called on President Tinubu to “immediately review and reverse” the appointment to preserve the credibility of the nation’s electoral system.

Despite its criticism, the SCSN appealed for calm among Nigerians, urging both Muslims and Christians to reject divisive narratives.

“Our shared enemies are injustice, corruption, poverty, and insecurity,” the council said, reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and mutual respect among all faiths.