Shariah Council Mourns Secretary-General Nafiu Baba-Ahmad

The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) says its late Secretary-General, Malam Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, will be remembered as a man who blended Islamic values, legal knowledge, professional competence, intellectual depth, humility and a commitment to public service.

 

Baba-Ahmad died in the early hours of Tuesday.

 

The council paid the tribute in a statement issued by its President, Prof. Bashir Aliyu Umar, describing the deceased as a distinguished Islamic activist, legal practitioner, public intellectual, administrator and devoted servant of the Muslim Ummah.

 

According to the statement, Baba-Ahmad was born on June 11, 1956, in Zaria, Kaduna State. He received Qur'anic and Islamic education before going on to study law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

 

The council said his grounding in Islamic scholarship, law and public policy equipped him to contribute to national debate on justice, religious freedom and constitutional rights.

 

As Secretary-General, the statement said, Baba-Ahmad played a pivotal role in the administration and strategic direction of the SCSN.

 

He coordinated the council's programmes, facilitated its engagements with the Muslim community and represented the organisation before government, civil society, professional bodies and the media.

 

Beyond the council, Baba-Ahmad built a distinguished career in Nigeria's financial and corporate sectors, the statement said.

 

At the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), he served as Director, Board Member and Corporate Secretary.

 

Earlier, he worked with First Interstate Merchant Bank Ltd., where he was Secretary and Assistant General Manager, bringing his legal expertise to bear on corporate governance and regulatory compliance.

 

The council also credited him with a leading role in establishing Islamic banking in Nigeria, and noted that he served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Jaiz Bank Plc.

 

Baba-Ahmad was a Member of the National Institute (mni), the honour conferred by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. The council said the recognition reflected his contributions to national policy discourse and strategic thinking.

 

The SCSN extended its condolences to his three wives, 21 children, family members, Shurah members, relatives, colleagues and the wider Muslim community.

 

The council prayed Allah to forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds and reward his years of service to Islam and humanity.

 

It also prayed that Allah grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus and give his family and the Muslim Ummah the strength and patience to bear the loss.