Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Christian Association of Nigeria has broken its silence over the controversial remarks by Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir, condemning his reference to Christians as "infidels" and warning that the derogatory language has escalated religious tensions in the country. The Chairman of CAN for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, said the comments made by the JIBWIS leader at a political gathering in Kano had exposed what Christians in Northern Nigeria have complained about for decades.
Sheikh Jingir, who spoke at an event organised by the Jama'atu Izalatil Bid'ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) and attended by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections and reportedly urged Muslims to "show infidels their limit". In a viral video circulating on social media, Jingir also said that whoever does not want to accept a Muslim-Muslim ticket should leave Nigeria because the country belongs to Muslims.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television's 'The Morning Brief' on Monday, August 10, 2026, Hayab said the Christian community had endured offensive statements for years, but the addition of the derogatory term "infidel" had crossed a line. "Honestly speaking, if Jingir had said, 'look, let's vote for our Muslim brothers to show we are strong', it wouldn't have been offensive than adding the term 'infidel'," Hayab said. "The moment he went out of just campaigning and insulting, then it turns the story different. But we are saying this as Christians that we've had this for a long time, we've suffered this for a long time, we are familiar with this for a long time."
Hayab expressed particular concern that Jingir's comments were made openly in the presence of political leaders who did not immediately reject or rebuke them but were instead seen cheering the preacher. "The man did not just say it in his room. The man said it in the presence of three governors, and they were all smiling," he said. "An action that would have been frowned upon, an action that would have been rebuked, an action that would have been rejected instantly." The CAN chairman lamented that Nigeria's pretence over allegations of persecution and discrimination against Christians had finally come to an end. "There is always a day when you will no longer pretend. We have been living in pretence in Nigeria, lying to ourselves that we are together, lying to each other that there is unity and lying to each other that we are co-citizens," Hayab declared.
Hayab also noted that the Muslim-Muslim ticket was not elected by Muslims alone in 2023, pointing out that it received support from Christian-majority states and communities. He argued that the controversy was not simply about Muslims supporting Muslim candidates but about the language used to address fellow Nigerians because of their faith. He challenged the governors at the gathering, the Federal Government and politicians being promoted by the cleric to publicly state their positions on the matter. "We are waiting to see the reaction of those governors. Whatever stopped them from reacting that day is another different thing. We are going to see what they are going to say," Hayab said.
The CAN chairman's condemnation was echoed by other prominent figures across the country. Former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung described Jingir's comments as a distortion of democratic politics and warned that Nigeria risks sliding into what he called "a dangerous form of religious majoritarianism". Dalung stressed that a Muslim-Muslim ticket does not put food on a Muslim family's table, secure communities from kidnappers, create jobs, or repair the country's collapsing infrastructure. Questioning who Nigerians are expected to regard as "infidels," he warned against turning fellow citizens into religious enemies. "Nigeria belongs to Muslims, Christians and citizens who subscribe to neither faith," Dalung said, stressing that no Nigerian should be told to "know their limit" because of their religion.
Nigeria's Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, also weighed in, describing Jingir's comments as "highly provocative" and warning against what he described as extremist rhetoric. "I have immense respect for Sheikh Jingir, but I am constrained to point out that the extremist rhetoric he has indulged in here is most unhelpful, and neither is it true," Fani-Kayode wrote on X. "Worse is the fact that it is highly provocative. Kindly take note that it is a very slippery and dangerous slope to take and is best avoided."
The controversy comes as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with religion, political alliances and the question of national unity increasingly becoming subjects of heated public debate. Hayab, however, insisted that Christians were not calling for a boycott of the elections but were demanding respect and moderation in public discourse. "We have always been tolerant of this, and I want to take us back. We have had the worst of these statements. But we have to be moderate. We have to be careful when we come to public space," he said.
As the debate continues to unfold, the Christian Association of Nigeria has made its position clear: the use of derogatory language against fellow citizens on the basis of their faith is unacceptable and must be condemned by all. The question now is whether the political leaders who sat in silence while Jingir spoke will respond to the growing chorus of condemnation, or whether their silence will be interpreted as endorsement of rhetoric that threatens the very fabric of Nigeria's fragile religious coexistence.
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