Sharia Council Secretary General Nafiu Baba Ahmed, Passes On
Malam Nafiu Baba Ahmed, a Nigerian Islamic scholar, legal practitioner, and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, is dead.
He died on Tuesday morning, according to a statement by Malam Jamilu Muazu Haidara.
The funeral prayer will be held at the National Mosque Abuja after Zuhr prayers.
The deceased was recognized for advancing Islamic advocacy, legal scholarship, policy engagement, and institutional leadership in promoting justice and religious rights.
Malam Nafiu Baba Ahmed, a Member of the National Institute, played a central role in the administration, coordination, and strategic direction of the Sharia council, contributing significantly to its mission of promoting Islamic values, defending the constitutional rights of Nigerian Muslims, and providing principled guidance on national issues affecting the Muslim Ummah.
Born in Zaria, Mallam Nafiu Baba Ahmed received a strong foundation in both traditional Islamic education and modern academic training.
From an early age, he studied the Qur’an, Arabic language, Islamic jurisprudence, and other classical Islamic sciences under respected scholars. This early intellectual formation nurtured in him a lifelong commitment to scholarship, ethical leadership, and service to the Muslim community.
In addition to his traditional Islamic education, Nafiu Baba Ahmed pursued formal academic studies in law at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, establishing himself as a respected legal practitioner.
His academic and professional background enabled him to engage deeply with legal and constitutional issues relating to religion, governance, and public policy in Nigeria.
Over the years, he became widely known for his thoughtful contributions to national discourse on matters affecting religious freedom, justice, and good governance.
As Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, Nafiu Baba Ahmed occupied a pivotal leadership position within the Council. He oversaw the day-to-day administration of the organization, coordinated its programmes and activities, and facilitated communication between the Council’s leadership, its organs, and the broader Muslim community across the country.
He supported the Council’s engagement with government institutions, civil society organizations, and the media on issues relating to Islamic law, public policy, and the welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Through his leadership within the Council, the deceased contributed to strengthening the institutional capacity and national presence of the organization.
He was actively involved in the preparation of policy statements, strategic initiatives, and advocacy efforts aimed at promoting justice, protecting religious rights, and encouraging responsible participation of Muslims in national development.
His ability to combine Islamic scholarship with legal and policy expertise made him an important voice in shaping the Council’s responses to contemporary challenges.
Nafiu Baba Ahmed is widely recognized for his intellectual contributions through opinions, writings, and public engagements in which he addressed issues of governance, social justice, interfaith relations, and the role of religion in public life.
His articulate interventions helped deepen public understanding of the constitutional and ethical dimensions of Shariah and the place of religious values in a plural society.
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