A Yoruba-speaking Islamic cleric, Shafiy Adeba, has sparked controversy following remarks in a video in which he allegedly claimed that Muslims have a religious justification to fight and enslave non-Muslims.
Adeba made the comments in a video posted on his TikTok page on Sunday, August 9, 2026. He spoke mainly in Yoruba, with references to Arabic expressions and Islamic scripture.
In the video, the cleric repeatedly referred to non-Muslims as “kafir” and alleged that Islamic teachings permit Muslims to fight, restrict and enslave them.
“Allah said fight them, enslave them, lock them inside their homes, don’t let them go to market, don’t let them go to farm, don’t let them see the sun,” Adeba said, according to the video.
He further claimed that the right to enslave belonged to Muslims and not non-Muslims, while describing warfare against non-Muslims as being rooted in Islam.
“It’s the Muslim who has the right to enslave the kafir, not the other way around,” he said.
Adeba also appeared to advocate the enforcement of what he described as Islamic laws on non-Muslims, warning that Muslims could face similar treatment if such laws were not imposed.
His comments have raised concerns because of their apparent advocacy of violence and enslavement against people based on their religious identity.
The Arabic term “kafir” is commonly translated in different contexts as “disbeliever” or “non-believer.” However, Adeba used the term specifically in reference to non-Muslims while making his statements about fighting and enslaving them.
The remarks emerged amid a wider debate over religion and politics in Nigeria, particularly the growing advocacy for Muslim-Muslim political tickets ahead of future elections.
On the same day, another prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahya Jingir, was reported to have urged Muslims in Kano State to support Muslim-Muslim political tickets and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of future elections.
Jingir made the comments at a campaign event for Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, tagged “Abba Go Again,” where the governor was also present.
Speaking in Hausa, Jingir praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promoting a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and declared his support for the political arrangement.
He urged Muslims to unite behind candidates contesting on Muslim-Muslim tickets, while acknowledging that Christians and other groups had expressed opposition to the idea.
The comments by both clerics have added to ongoing discussions surrounding religion, politics, interfaith relations and freedom of belief in Nigeria, a country with a large Muslim and Christian population.
