Prominent Nigerian lawyer and civil rights advocate Deji Adeyanju has issued a stern warning to Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir over his recent public remarks targeting Christians, cautioning that unchecked sectarian rhetoric poses a direct threat to national unity and peaceful coexistence.
​The warning was delivered during a media briefing held at 10:00 AM on Monday, August 10, 2026, at the Abuja headquarters of Deji Adeyanju & Partners. During the presentation, Adeyanju emphasized that Nigeria’s constitutional framework explicitly guarantees religious freedom and protects the nation’s multi-faith reality.
​Adeyanju highlighted Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which safeguards the right of every citizen to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. He noted that any public discourse aimed at delegitimizing or denigrating a particular faith violates the spirit of the constitution and undermines civil order.
​The activist warned that inflammatory public declarations from high-profile figures can easily inflame tensions across volatile regions. He stressed that national stability depends heavily on the commitment of religious leaders to preach tolerance, restraint, and mutual respect among diverse communities.
​The controversy follows public sermons attributed to Sheikh Yahya Jingir, the national leader of the Council of Ulama of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), based in Jos, Plateau State. Concerns have grown among civic groups that such utterances could destabilize delicate inter-faith relations in northern and central Nigeria.
​Joining the briefing, civil rights advocate Adebayo Raphael, representing a coalition of aligned civil society organizations, urged state authorities and security agencies to actively monitor hate speech and uphold the rule of law without bias. Raphael underscored that spiritual leaders hold substantial public influence, which ought to be leveraged to strengthen national peace rather than deepen societal divisions.
​As of Monday afternoon, neither Sheikh Yahya Jingir nor official representatives from JIBWIS have issued a formal response to the activist’s statement. Meanwhile, federal law enforcement authorities have reiterated calls for religious groups nationwide to avoid provocative commentary and maintain peace.
