An Okun man from Kogi State, identified as Abbey, has ignited controversy after making inflammatory remarks about the Yoruba people’s rejection of Sharia law.
During a recorded X Space discussion titled “No Space for Hate Mongering in Nigeria,”
Abbey said, “It’s time for Jihad conversation to start,” in response to perceived discrimination against Muslims in Southwest Nigeria.
In a heated tirade, he accused Yoruba conservatives of religious intolerance, compared the plight of Southwest Muslims to Palestinians under Israeli occupation, and warned of impending conflict.
His statements have been widely condemned as hate speech, with many viewing them as a direct threat to Nigeria’s religious and ethnic harmony.
The controversy follows growing resistance to the establishment of Independent Sharia Arbitration Panels in Oyo and Ekiti states.
Yoruba cultural groups have firmly rejected these panels, arguing that Sharia is alien to their society and could disrupt peaceful coexistence.
As tensions rise, leaders urge restraint, warning that inflammatory rhetoric could escalate into deeper divisions.