Islamic Council urges ending ethnic and religious bias in labeling banditry and kidnapping.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has stated that portraying Nigerian Muslims as responsible for kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes is false and misleading. The council said such claims are unfair to the vast majority of peace‑loving Muslims who contribute to national development across all sectors.

In a statement signed by spokesperson Abbas Jimoh for Nigeria’s Democracy Day, the council warned that recent attempts by some individuals and groups to link Islam and Muslims to criminal activity were unjust and dangerous to national unity.

The statement referred to a recent kidnapping in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State and the efforts to associate the crime with a particular ethnic or religious group.

It emphasized that suspects should be identified and prosecuted based on evidence, not identity, and that criminal acts should not be given ethnic or religious colouration.

The council also expressed concern over the broader security challenges facing the country—terrorism, banditry and kidnapping—which continue to claim lives, displace communities and hinder development.

The NSCIA expressed sympathy for victims and their families affected by criminal activities, condemned all forms of violence, and urged those involved to abandon such activities.

It called on the media and opinion leaders to report responsibly and avoid narratives that could deepen divisions or mistrust among Nigerians.

The council praised the efforts of the Federal Government and security agencies in tackling insecurity and called for greater cooperation to restore peace.