A high-ranking Islamic cleric in Nigeria has caused public uproar by openly endorsing the death penalty for Muslims who abandon their faith.

On Thursday, April 10, Sheikh Ibrahim Jalingo, the National Chairman of the Council of Ulama, shared a Facebook post in which he defended a controversial Hadith that supports the execution of individuals who abandon the Islamic faith.

“Whoever changes his religion, kill him,” Jalingo quoted, insisting the narration aligns with Islamic doctrine and is backed by Qur’anic scripture.

He rejected the views of those challenging the Hadith’s validity, describing them as lacking proper understanding of Islamic doctrine.

“The Qur’an is a revelation from Allah, and so is the Hadith,” Jalingo wrote. “Often, the Qur’an addresses matters briefly, while the Hadith comes to elaborate. This Hadith does not contradict the Qur’an—it reinforces it.”

Jalingo pointed to several Qur’anic verses—Surah At-Tawbah (9:5), Al-Baqarah (2:193), and An-Nisa’ (4:89 and 4:91)—to assert that Islam enforces strict penalties, including death in certain instances, for acts of apostasy and polytheism.

Defending his stance, Jalingo dismissed appeals to Qur’an 2:256 (‘There is no compulsion in religion’), asserting that later revelations had nullified the verse and mandated stricter punishments for unbelief.

His post also used provocative language, branding opponents as ‘prostitutes and effeminate men’ while glorifying supporters as champions of ‘true’ Islam. The controversial remarks quickly spread online, sparking widespread outrage from rights groups, activists, and religious scholars who called them extremist and dangerous.

Others have called on authorities to investigate the comments for potentially inciting hatred.