The Hausa Native Advancement and Development Initiative (HANADI) has challenged the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) over its position on the allegations against Senator Shehu Buba Umar, insisting that religious affiliation must not be used to obstruct a lawful security investigation.
HANADI’s response followed a recent position by the Islamic Council, which operates under the Sultan of Sokoto, rejecting the Department of State Services (DSS) attempt to investigate the senator over alleged links to criminal activities.
In its statement titled “Constitutional Clarity and National Security: Hausa Native Initiative’s Response to the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria on the Case of Senator Shehu Buba Umar,” HANADI said the matter should be addressed strictly within the framework of Nigeria’s Constitution and established legal procedures.
The organisation argued that while Islamic scholars have an important role in providing moral and spiritual guidance, security investigations remain the responsibility of legally established state institutions.
According to HANADI, the DSS has a constitutional responsibility to investigate threats to national security, adding that no religious organisation should interfere with such processes.
The group said attempts to defend the senator on religious grounds could create the impression that religious or ethnic considerations were being placed above the rule of law.
HANADI also raised concerns over what it described as the SCSN’s apparent defence of a Fulani figure, questioning whether ethnic considerations could be influencing the Council’s position.
It stressed, however, that no individual or ethnic group should be treated as being above the law, insisting that allegations involving violence, banditry, terrorism or other criminal activities should be independently investigated regardless of the suspect’s ethnic or religious background.
The organisation maintained that any evidence against Senator Shehu Buba should be examined by the appropriate security agencies, while any evidence capable of clearing his name should equally be considered through the same legal process.
HANADI further warned that attempts to shield individuals from investigation on ethnic or religious grounds could undermine public confidence in security institutions and deepen existing divisions amid Nigeria’s security challenges.
The group called on the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria to respect the boundaries of state institutions and allow the DSS to conduct its investigation without interference.
HANADI said its position was not an endorsement of the allegations against Senator Shehu Buba, but a call for due process, transparency and equal application of the law.
It urged all parties to allow competent authorities to establish the facts, stressing that justice and national security should take precedence over ethnic or religious affiliations.