20/12/2024
An Open Letter from Hausa Citizens to the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)
Date: 20 December 2024
To: The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)
National Mosque Office Complex, Abuja, FCT
Subject: Concerns About NSCIA’s Position on the Sayawa Chiefdom and Perceived Fulani Bias
Dear Respected Members of the NSCIA,
We write to you as concerned Hausa citizens, compelled to address an issue of great importance to peace, justice, and inclusivity in our beloved nation. We recognize the NSCIA’s critical role in fostering unity and addressing the concerns of the Muslim Ummah. However, we are deeply troubled by what appears to be a consistent alignment of your council’s position with the interests of the Fulani elite, often at the expense of other marginalized groups and under the guise of defending Islamic principles.
NSCIA’s Role in the Sayawa Chiefdom Conflict
The NSCIA’s objection to the establishment of the Sayawa Chiefdom headquarters in Tafawa-Balewa raises serious questions about the council’s neutrality and commitment to justice. The Sayawa people, who are indigenous to Tafawa-Balewa, have endured decades of marginalization under Fulani-dominated leadership. Their demand for self-rule is not an affront to Islam or Muslims but rather a legitimate struggle for dignity and autonomy.
The council’s argument that establishing the headquarters in Tafawa-Balewa will jeopardize peace ignores the root cause of the conflict: the denial of Sayawa’s right to govern themselves in their ancestral land. Peace cannot be achieved by perpetuating injustice. Justice is the foundation of peace, and supporting Sayawa autonomy is the most viable pathway to resolving the long-standing tensions in the region.
Fulani Banditry and its Impact
While the NSCIA focuses on localized Sayawa-Fulani tensions, it remains conspicuously silent on the devastating crisis of Fulani banditry that has ravaged our communities. Since 2011, Fulani banditry has claimed the lives of over 450,000 people, displaced millions, and inflicted unimaginable suffering on Hausa citizens in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kaduna. These bandits, operating as criminal syndicates, have destroyed livelihoods, disrupted education, and exacerbated food insecurity, plunging our people into deeper poverty and despair.
The Hausa people, who have borne the brunt of Fulani banditry, feel abandoned by the NSCIA. Your silence on this issue, juxtaposed with your vigorous defense of Fulani hegemony in the Sayawa Chiefdom dispute, has left us questioning whether your allegiance lies with justice and Islam or with protecting the political dominance of the Fulani elite.
Perceived Bias in the Name of Religion
We are alarmed by the perception that the NSCIA uses religion to shield Fulani interests, even when such actions undermine the principles of justice and fairness that Islam upholds. Islam teaches us to stand against oppression, irrespective of who the oppressor is. By aligning with the Fulani leadership in the Sayawa Chiefdom dispute and remaining silent on Fulani banditry, the NSCIA risks alienating the very communities it is meant to serve and protect.
The Hausa people are Muslims, and we have long stood as defenders of the faith. However, we reject any attempt to use Islam as a tool for perpetuating Fulani dominance or silencing the voices of marginalized groups. Justice, equity, and inclusivity must guide your actions, not ethnic or political considerations disguised as religious imperatives.
Our Call to the NSCIA
1. Reevaluate Your Position: We urge the NSCIA to reconsider its objection to the Sayawa Chiefdom headquarters in Tafawa-Balewa. Supporting Sayawa autonomy is not only just but also necessary for fostering lasting peace in the region.
2. Address Fulani Banditry: The council must take a firm stand against the systemic violence and criminality of Fulani bandits, which have caused far greater harm than localized conflicts like the Sayawa-Fulani clashes.
3. Promote Justice and Fairness: As the leading Islamic body in Nigeria, the NSCIA must uphold the principles of justice, equity, and inclusivity. This includes standing with marginalized communities, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliations.
4. Foster Dialogue: The NSCIA should play a neutral and constructive role in promoting dialogue and reconciliation among all parties, rather than aligning with the Fulani elite under the guise of religious solidarity.
Conclusion
We, as Hausa citizens, urge the NSCIA to rise above ethnic politics and act as a true custodian of justice and Islamic values. The Hausa people are not pawns in the Fulani hegemony narrative, nor will we accept the exploitation of our shared faith for political gain. We call on the NSCIA to demonstrate true leadership by addressing the real issues plaguing our communities and championing the rights of all marginalized groups in Nigeria.
Signed,
Concerned HAUSA Citizens for Peace and Security.
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