The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has strongly condemned the killing of 12 Muslim travellers from Kaduna, who were returning from a wedding in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday, describing the incident as “barbaric and inhuman.”
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Sunday, the Council decried what it called the recurring pattern of violence in Plateau State, warning that the region has become a notorious hotspot for religious and ethnic bloodshed that must be urgently addressed.
“This latest bloodbath is one too many. Plateau State has continued to witness coordinated attacks on innocent Muslim travelers. From the Du Pond carnage to the cold-blooded murder of Major General Idris Alkali (rtd), these atrocities are chilling reminders that Muslim lives are still treated as expendable,” the statement read.
Signed by AbdurRahman Hassan, Secretary of the Council in Kaduna State, the group demanded immediate action by the Plateau State Government to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings. It warned that delaying justice would only embolden further violence.
“We demand nothing less than the arrest and prosecution of the criminals behind this heinous act. Enough is enough,” Hassan declared.
The Council also urged the Kaduna State Government to move beyond issuing press statements and explore legal channels, including the pursuit of **diyyah** (blood money) for the families of the victims and compensation for the injured.
“We commend the Kaduna State Government for its prompt reaction. However, it must not stop at mere rhetoric. Even if it means initiating legal proceedings against the Plateau State Government, the families of the deceased deserve justice and reparations.”
SCSN argued that the latest attack is part of a deeply troubling pattern of selective killings in Plateau State. The group warned that the failure of authorities to decisively address such incidents has only fueled sectarian mistrust and tension in the region.
“The government must go beyond fire-brigade responses and confront the root causes of these conflicts, which have festered for decades and claimed thousands of lives,” the Council said. “The peace of Plateau cannot be built on the graves of the innocent. True reconciliation begins with justice.”
While urging Kaduna residents to remain calm and law-abiding, the Council cautioned that continued provocation without consequence could push communities to the brink.
“We urge our people not to take the law into their hands. But we warn that patience has limits. Let no one mistake our civility for weakness,” the statement added.
The Council concluded by praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and a speedy recovery for the injured. It also called for urgent national attention on what it described as “the slow genocide of Muslims in Plateau.”
The incident has continued to draw widespread condemnation and demands for justice across northern Nigeria.
