Shi’a Rights Group Petitions DSS Over Alleged Hate Speech by Togolese Cleric in Kano

  By Nasir Abubakar The Campaign for Human Rights and Liberty (ETTRAH), an advocacy group representing members of the Shi’a Muslim communi...

 

By Nasir Abubakar

The Campaign for Human Rights and Liberty (ETTRAH), an advocacy group representing members of the Shi’a Muslim community in Nigeria, has submitted a formal petition to the Department of State Services (DSS), Kano State Command, urging immediate investigation and action against a Togolese-born Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdulwahab Abdullah, for what the group describes as persistent hate speech and incitement.

The petition, dated September 1, 2025, and signed by ETTRAH's Executive Director, Abdullahi Hassan (Shazy), alleges that the cleric, currently residing in Kano, has repeatedly made inflammatory and derogatory statements targeting Shi’a Muslims, particularly during a recent televised appearance on Africa TV 3. In the broadcast, Sheikh Abdulwahab reportedly used slurs such as “Shi’as are fools,” “Shi’as have no sense,” “an animal is better than a Shi’a,” and other similar comments described by the group as both dangerous and dehumanising.

According to ETTRAH, this is not the first instance of such remarks. The petition recalls several earlier incidents, including radio broadcasts on Arewa Radio, Freedom Radio, and Rahama Radio between 2015 and 2022, during which the cleric allegedly made similar offensive statements. The group claims that some of these broadcasts contributed to real-world violence against Shi’a adherents in towns such as Kura, Dan Agundi, Kofar Nasarawa, and Ringim in Jigawa State, where processions were attacked by mobs incited by hate-laden preaching.

ETTRAH expressed deep concern that the cleric’s rhetoric, if left unchecked, could spark renewed violence. They argue that as a foreign national, Sheikh Abdulwahab Abdullah has no right to interfere in Nigeria’s religious matters, nor to engage in actions that threaten the peace and unity of the country. Citing Section 57 of the Immigration Act of 2015, the group emphasised that foreign residents in Nigeria are bound to respect local laws and customs, and violations could warrant deportation or legal sanctions.

The petition also invoked several sections of the Nigerian Constitution, including those guaranteeing freedom of religion and protection against discrimination, while also recognising the legal limitations on speech that incites violence or threatens public order. ETTRAH drew a historical comparison to the notorious Maitatsine riots of the 1980s, which were led by another foreign cleric, the Cameroonian-born Muhammad Marwa Maitatsine, whose extremist teachings resulted in widespread violence and the loss of thousands of lives. The group warned that failing to act against Sheikh Abdulwahab could lead Nigeria down a similarly dangerous path.

In its appeal to the DSS, ETTRAH called for a thorough investigation into the cleric’s activities, intending to prevent further incitement. They urged the security agency to enforce both constitutional and immigration laws and to hold Sheikh Abdulwahab accountable for any future violence linked to his actions.

The petition was also forwarded to several national authorities, including the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Interior, and members of the National Security Council. Leading Islamic bodies, including the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), as well as human rights organisations, were also copied.

As at the time of filing this report, the DSS and other authorities have yet to issue an official response to the petition.