Despite an official ban on his activities, a controversial cleric in Niger State, North-central Nigeria, has publicly vowed to continue preaching extremist ideologies similar to that of jihadists, raising concerns about the potential spread of his radical views in the region.

The cleric, identified as Muhammad Ibn Muhammad, who uses his school and preaching sessions to promote anti-democratic sentiments, was officially barred by the Niger State Government following a series of inflammatory speeches posted on social media in which he declared takfir, an Islamic concept for excommunication, on many Muslims he disagreed with. 

Authorities in Niger State said his messages, which were widely circulated on Facebook and Tiktok, have been linked to the growing influence of extremist ideologies in North Central Nigeria.

“The ideology the scholar promotes resembles those of the Boko Haram sect. And even when we met with him, he confirmed to us and failed to understand or agree with anybody,” said Mallam Umar Farouk, the Director-General, Niger State Bureau of Religious Affairs. 

When he was invited, Ibn Muhammad said he was a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and he had never said he was against western education, an ideology professed by Boko Haram, but he confirmed his stance against constitutional democracy in Nigeria and his aspirations for implementation of Shari’a law. 

“I have a master’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, I have never preached that Western education is forbidden. What I said is that voting in an election is forbidden because it is like taking what belongs to Allah alone and giving it to His creature. You are associating partners with Allah,” he said. 

While also agreeing to suspend his preaching in Niger State, the cleric, who posted another video on Facebook, promised to continue with his activities outside the state where he preached in Hausa and Fulfulde languages.

“The authorities have suspended me from preaching in Niger, but this doesn’t mean that I can’t do it elsewhere. So you should know that I will continue to deliver my lessons in other locations if I’m outside Niger,” he vowed. 

Social media users have expressed concern over the cleric’s resolve, warning that his defiance could embolden his followers and further complicate efforts to counter violent extremism in Nigeria.

“The cleric’s rhetoric not only undermines state authority but also has the potential to inspire acts of violence and deepen divisions in already fragile Muslim communities,” said Abubakar Usman, a social media user on Facebook.

The Niger State Government has not released an official statement addressing the cleric’s comments but has reiterated its commitment to curbing the spread of extremist ideologies pending the result of their investigation. 

“We are going to write to the police and other security agencies to launch their own independent investigations. Whatever report they submit to the governor at the end of their investigation would determine whether the scholar would be allowed to reopen his school and continue preaching,” Malam Farouk said.

Niger State, part of Nigeria’s North Central region, has seen a rise in extremist activities in recent years, fueled by socioeconomic challenges, poor governance, and insecurity. Radical clerics like Ibn Muhammad have exploited these conditions to spread divisive ideologies. 

The state is the major hub of an Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru, a faction of Boko Haram in Nigeria, which is known to be using social media to propagate its ideologies, particularly anti-democratic sentiments. 

The group has hoisted its flags in many locations across the state and conducts preaching sessions in rural parts of that state, promising to implement Shari’a law and protection against other terrorist groups operating in the state. 

Although not yet violent, Ibn Muhammad’s preaching aligns perfectly with the jihadist sentiments in Nigeria of promising to substitute Nigeria’s democracy with Shari’a law and declaring Takfir on any person who disagrees with them. 

In many sessions of his fiery preachings, Ibn Muhammad expressed his aspirations for the implementation of a violent form of Shari’a law in which he would wage violence on people who held different religious views.