Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has mourned the death of Mallam Nafiu Baba-Ahmed, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria.
Mr Obi expressed his condolences in a message posted on X on Wednesday, describing the late Islamic leader’s death as a significant loss to Nigeria.
He said the country needed more people willing to speak for peace, justice and unity at a time when such values remained critical to national development.
Mallam Baba-Ahmed died in the early hours of Tuesday, 6 October, according to the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria.
He was born in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 1956 and trained as a lawyer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He combined his legal and professional career with extensive involvement in Islamic advocacy and public affairs.
As Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, he played a central role in coordinating the organisation’s activities and representing its position on national issues.
The council described him as a public intellectual, legal practitioner, administrator and committed servant of the Muslim community.
He also held senior positions in Nigeria’s financial and corporate sectors, including roles at the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation and First Interstate Merchant Bank. He was also involved in the development of Islamic banking in Nigeria and served on the board of Jaiz Bank.
His death has prompted tributes from political, religious and public figures.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described him as an impactful leader who served the Supreme Council for Shariah with wisdom, foresight and a commitment to unity, justice and peaceful coexistence. (State House)
For Mr Obi, the death of Baba-Ahmed comes as a reminder of the importance of principled voices in Nigeria’s public life, particularly those committed to peace, justice and national unity.
Funeral prayers for the deceased were scheduled to take place at the National Mosque in Abuja after the Zuhr prayer. (Peoples Daily)
