A retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sheriff Abubakar Rabiu, has stirred Northern Nigeria with a hard-hitting open letter now circulating widely across WhatsApp and mosque forums.
In unusually blunt language, the former officer accused some Islamic clerics of “poisoning young minds” through divisive sermons that brand Christians as “infidels.” He warned that such rhetoric fuels extremism, saying, “This madness gave birth to Boko Haram.”
Rabiu, who once served as Chief Security Officer to ex-Adamawa Governor Murtala Nyako, blamed hate preaching and the Almajiri system for nurturing terrorism. “Those street children you see begging today are tomorrow’s recruits for terrorist groups,” he wrote.
He urged President Bola Tinubu and Northern leaders to criminalize hate speech, street begging, and the use of “arne” or “kafir” in sermons. “Do this sincerely,” he warned, “or we invite the same war machinery that destroyed Afghanistan and Iraq.”
The letter, shared in over 40 Northern WhatsApp groups, has sparked intense debate. A Kano youth leader said, “This is the first time a respected Muslim officer has spoken the truth without fear.”
As discussions spread, many believe Rabiu’s bold message could mark a turning point in Northern religious reform.
