The Patrick Anum Advocacy Group has petitioned security and justice authorities in Plateau State to investigate Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir over remarks it says could inflame religious and communal tensions in the already volatile state.
The petition, dated September 27, 2026, was addressed to the Plateau State Police Command and copied the state director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the state attorney-general, the commissioner for justice, and the Inspector-General of Police in Abuja.
In the petition, the group say it was particularly concerned by a statement Jingir made on September 26, in which he said Muslims constitute the majority in Plateau State without evidence. It said such a claim can be used to justify changes in the state’s political and demographic balance and aggravate existing tensions between communities.
The group also asked the authorities to investigate what it described as a series of public statements attributed to Jingir, preserve available audio and video evidence and determine whether any of the remarks constitute offences under Nigerian law relating to incitement, religious or ethnic hatred, public order and peace.
It further requests that arrest and prosecution be considered if an investigation establishes reasonable grounds that an offence has been committed.
The petition was signed by Patrick Anum, the group’s founder, who is known for advocating around Middle Belt political and security issues.
Sheikh Jingir is not new to controversy. At as mass wedding event attended by several state governors in Kano on August 9, the Islamic cleric called non-Muslims infidels and said Muslims should get their voters’ cards and ensure that a Muslim-Muslim presidency is sustained through the 2027 election.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) condemned the remarks, describing them as hate speech and incitement to religious hatred and potential violence. It called on the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS and other relevant authorities to arrest and prosecute the cleric.
For the first time since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, a Muslim presidential candidate, (Bola Tinubu) picked another Muslim (Kashim Shettima) as running mate despite criticism from Christians who argue that such an arrangement amounts an attempt to marginalize Chrisitians politically in a country an equal Muslim-Christian split. Although Tinubu went on to win the election with Shettima, several Christian leaders had urged him to balance the ticket for the 2027 election.
Patrick Anum Advocacy Group’s petition has gained attention on social media, and the change.org page hosting the petition has gathered 100. The group says it was not asking authorities to prejudge the allegations or act solely on the basis of media reports. Instead, it is asking security agencies to obtain the original recordings, transcripts and publications, authenticate the statements and assess them against applicable Nigerian laws.
It also urges the authorities to preserve relevant evidence, including recordings, online publications and correspondence, and to coordinate with the NHRC.
The group says its petition is motivated by concerns over Plateau State’s history of communal violence and the possibility that inflammatory public statements could worsen tensions between religious and ethnic communities.
It stresses that its intention was not to suppress legitimate expression but to ensure that statements or conduct capable of inciting violence are investigated and addressed through lawful procedures.