The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reveal the identity of the religious body it accused of sponsoring terrorism/insurgency with ₦7 billion out of ₦13 billion traced to its account.
It made the call in a statement signed by Sheikh Abdurrasheed Hadiyatullah, Mal. Nafi’u Baba-Ahmad President General and Secretary General of the council respectively.
The council also called for the inclusion of Muslims in the Peace Committee set up by the Governor of Plateau State Caleb Muftwang.
It said the composition of the committee whose memberships were all Christians were questionable as it affects fairness and inclusivity as its mandate was to superintend over a lingering religious crisis.
On the EFCC, the statement said “This revelation has sent shockwaves across the nation, raising concerns about potential fund misuse for activities threatening Nigeria’s peace and security. The gravity of the situation calls for immediate public clarification of the group and decisive action to address the disturbing nexus between religious groups and insurgency.
“Accordingly, we urgently call upon the EFCC to publish the list of all sponsors involved in criminal activities. The alleged disclosure of ₦7 billion linked to a religious group’s account is a matter of grave concern, and citizens demand proper legal action against sponsors and those found complicit in financing activities undermining the Nation’s security.
“We further call on the EFCC to expedite the release of the list of sponsors and collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure prompt legal actions are taken.”
On the Plateau peace panel, the council described the committee as a textbook antithesis of the principles of equality and transparency.
The statement expressed the outrage of the council at what it said is gross insensitivity over the constitution of the security committee by the State Governor.
The council said “The situation in Plateau State demands a comprehensive and impartial approach.
The total exclusion of Muslims representation in the security committee not only disregards the diverse fabric of the state (with at least 40% Muslims) but also jeopardizes the effectiveness of the committee in addressing the root causes of the ongoing conflicts.
“We urgently call for a reevaluation of the committee’s composition to ensure that it is truly representative of the entire population. The current imbalance not only undermines the principles of justice but also hinders the development of a united front against the challenges faced by the state.
“We therefore demand, as a right and in the interest of equity, the Governor to heed this call for justice and equitable representation, as his action is sending a disturbing message to the world and creating a recipe for compounding the crisis.”
The council noted failure to reconstitute the committee will mean disregard for its Muslim citizens, despite their significant population, adding that “This would be a stark contradiction to the values of equality and non-discrimination that Nigeria, as a diverse and democratic nation, upholds. The Governor should learn from other northern states with Christian minorities, their sense of fairness and responsibility in similar situations.
