The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has strongly criticised the escalating insecurity across the country, describing it as a resurgence of “senseless killings, mass violence, kidnappings, and widespread insecurity,” with Northern Nigeria bearing a heavy toll. The council warned that the trend signals an alarming decline in the nation’s security framework.
In a statement released on Sunday, the 8th of February, 2026, and signed by its Secretary General, Nafiu Baba Ahmad, the council expressed profound sorrow over the reported killing of more than 200 persons in Woro village, Kiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. It described the incident as a “horrific act of carnage,” noting that women and children were killed, homes were destroyed, and entire families were wiped out.
The council stated that in situations where authorities fail in their duty to safeguard lives, “both Islamic ethics and democratic norms demand accountability, including appropriate sanctions, removal from office, or honourable resignation.”
According to the statement, “The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria hereby expresses its deepest anguish and unequivocal condemnation of the renewed wave of senseless killings, mass violence, kidnappings, and widespread insecurity afflicting many parts of Nigeria,” it said.
The SCSN noted that the Woro killings, alongside similar attacks in Kwara, Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, Borno and other regions, “starkly underscores a frightening deterioration in the nation’s security situation and a growing disregard for the sanctity of human life.”
Emphasising Islamic teachings, the council said Islam holds human life as sacred, describing the killing of innocent people as among the gravest sins. Citing Qur’an 5:32, it recalled that “whoever kills a soul… it is as if he had slain all of mankind,” stressing that such actions are “an affront to the conscience of humanity.”
The council also condemned violence against innocent citizens “Muslims and Christians alike,” whether carried out through banditry, terrorism, communal clashes or other criminal acts. It warned that the continuation of these atrocities despite repeated official assurances points to “a disturbing failure of governance and the security architecture.”
“Nigerians should not be forced to live in perpetual fear within their own homes and communities,” the statement said.
Reflecting on its past engagements with government authorities, the SCSN lamented what it described as a growing disconnect between constitutional responsibilities and actual delivery, with severe consequences for ordinary Nigerians.
While acknowledging the sacrifices of security personnel on the front lines, the council urged public officials to abandon lifestyles of “profligacy and excess” and concentrate on the fundamental duties of leadership, particularly the protection of lives and property.
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“Leadership is a trust, not a privilege for indulgence,” the council stated, reiterating that where leaders fail, “both Islamic ethics and democratic norms demand accountability, including appropriate sanctions, removal from office, or honourable resignation.”
The SCSN further restated its firm rejection of radicalism and violent extremism, describing them as “a betrayal of Islam and a gross distortion of its teachings,” and stressed that “there is absolutely no justification in Islam for terrorism, mass murder, kidnapping, or the targeting of innocent persons under any pretext.”
The council extended condolences to families and communities affected by the Woro attack and other violent incidents nationwide, offering prayers for comfort for the bereaved and recovery for the injured.
It also welcomed the release of abducted victims from Kurmin Wali and called on authorities to intensify efforts to rescue those still in captivity and dismantle the criminal networks responsible.
The statement concluded with an appeal to all levels of government, security agencies, traditional and community leaders, and citizens to act decisively to stop what it described as Nigeria’s “dangerous descent into chaos,” stressing that “protecting human life is not optional, it is a sacred obligation.”