Probe Promoters Of Religious Extremism, Radicalisation, Group Tells FG

A group, the Tijaniyyah Muslim Students’ Association of Nigeria (TIMSAN), has called on the federal government to investigate credible allegations of extremist preaching and radicalisation across Nigeria’s religious landscape.

The group made the call in a statement signed by its pioneer national president, Assayyidi Yusuf, following the international conference on security, national unity and social peace held in Abuja during the weekend.

The conference was jointly organised by Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) and the Muslim World League and focused on terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, national unity, religious tolerance and sustainable socio-economic development.

The group said the Federal Government should not equate participation in peace initiatives with exoneration from scrutiny, urging authorities to establish the facts through independent, evidence-based investigations. According to the group, substantiated allegations should be investigated and acted upon in accordance with the law.

It further called for disciplinary mechanisms against preachers who promote hatred or incitement, and the public repudiation of any historical teachings considered problematic and urged the federal government to commission an independent assessment of credible allegations concerning extremist preaching, incitement and radicalisation across all religious and ideological movements.

It also called for the investigation and prosecution of individual preachers where credible evidence shows that they incited violence, recruited for terrorism, glorified terrorist activities or violated Nigerian law.

The group recommended establishing a national religious extremism monitoring framework while urging the government to protect legitimate religious freedom and ensure that criminal liability remains individualised and evidence-based.

The association further urged JIBWIS to establish an Independent Advisory Commission on Religious Tolerance and Violent Extremism, comprising Islamic and Christian scholars, legal experts, security specialists, human rights experts, and representatives of affected communities.

It said the proposed commission should review historical and contemporary preaching materials, sectarian rhetoric, attitudes towards other religious traditions, disciplinary mechanisms for irresponsible preachers and strategies for preventing youth radicalisation.

It said Nigeria needed peace, but warned that peace without accountability would remain fragile and reconciliation without truth could only postpone future crises.