Southern Nigerian Ulammah Summit Issues Communiqué on Unity, Security, and Inclusive Governance

The Southern Nigerian Ulammah Summit has released a far-reaching communiqué calling for strengthened unity among Muslims, urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture, and greater inclusion of Southern Muslims in governance. The summit, held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the University of Ibadan’s International Conference Centre, drew more than 350 scholars and delegates from across the South and a high-level delegation of Northern Ulamah.

In its resolutions, the summit emphasised that unity remains an indispensable foundation for progress, noting that “unity is both a divine mandate and a strategic necessity.” It urged Islamic scholars and organisations to prioritise collaboration over rivalry, saying that only a cohesive Ummah can wield meaningful political and social influence at the national level.

Participants also expressed alarm over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, including terrorism, kidnappings, cybercrime, cult violence, and oil theft. The communiqué called for intelligence-driven reforms, stronger border control, and youth-focused interventions to combat root causes of insecurity. The summit stressed that “insecurity continues to impede national development,” urging government to adopt long-term structural solutions.

On the economy, the summit described the Halal economy as a critical tool for ethical and inclusive development. It rejected attempts to politicise Islamic finance, noting that “Halal finance is an economic, not sectarian initiative.” Delegates highlighted that Sukuk, Islamic banking, and Takaful have funded major infrastructure accessible to all Nigerians and are embraced by countries such as the UK, USA, Japan, and South Africa.

The communiqué also condemned the mischaracterisation of Muslims in national discourse, stating that Islam “condemns all acts of terrorism, extremism, insurgency, and violence against innocent civilians.” It rejected claims of a “genocide against Christians” in Nigeria, noting instead that available evidence shows Muslims form the majority of victims of insurgency, displacement, and extrajudicial killings.

Delegates raised concerns about the alleged underrepresentation of Southern Muslims in political appointments, public institutions, and media structures.

The summit insisted that Muslims must be allowed to fully exercise their constitutional rights, including Islamic education, Shariah courts, Halal finance, and religious expression. It further asserted that the neutrality of INEC Chairman Prof. Amupitan had been compromised, calling for his resignation “in the interest of democratic credibility.”

The summit concluded with prayers for national stability, mourning recent tragedies such as the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi and the deaths of Brigadier General Uba and other soldiers in the Bula-Tulu operation. It commended the sacrifices of the Armed Forces and prayed that Allah “unite the Ummah, strengthen Nigeria’s leadership, and grant the nation lasting peace and prosperity,” as jointly signed by Convener Sheikh Isa Akindele Salaudeen and Organising Committee Chairman Prof. Olaiya Abideen Olaitan.