Isiyaku Ahmed
The International Peace and Secure Society (IPSS) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, state governors, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to resist calls for the scrapping of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), describing such moves as a threat to education, national security, and the future of millions of Nigerian children.
In a statement issued in Kano on Wednesday, the Director General of IPSS, Comrade Yahaya Danjuma Yusuf, argued that NBAIS plays a strategic role in integrating Qur’anic and Islamic education into Nigeria’s formal education system, thereby reducing the number of out-of-school children and strengthening national security.
IPSS maintained that allegations of financial impropriety against the Board lack merit, noting that NBAIS personnel are paid through the Federal Government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which it described as a transparent platform with multiple layers of verification and oversight.
According to IPSS, the IPPIS system requires staff identity verification through the Bank Verification Number (BVN), National Identification Number (NIN), and bank validation, while salaries are paid directly into individual accounts under the supervision of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
The group said the payroll process is further monitored by the Budget Office, the Office of the Accountant General, and the National Assembly, making allegations of payroll fraud “unfounded and verifiable through official records.”
Beyond financial accountability, IPSS said NBAIS has made significant contributions to expanding access to education by integrating Tsangaya and Islamiyya schools into the formal education system.
IPSS stated that the Board has enabled millions of pupils to acquire literacy, numeracy, vocational skills, and nationally recognized certificates, thereby creating opportunities for higher education and employment.
It also argued that the Board contributes to national security by reducing the vulnerability of young people to drug abuse, violent extremism, thuggery, and other social vices through education and certification.
According to the statement, NBAIS has also standardized Arabic and Islamic education nationwide through a unified curriculum, quality assurance mechanisms, and examinations recognised by Nigerian universities and institutions abroad.
IPSS commended the leadership of the current Registrar and Chief Executive of NBAIS, Professor Yahuza Suleiman Imam, and the immediate past Registrar, Professor Muhammad Shafi’u-Abdullahi, for what it described as institutional reforms and sustainable development within the Board.
It also called on the Federal Government to honour both education administrators with national awards in recognition of their contributions to educational development and national unity.
The group further expressed support for the Federal Government’s education reforms under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as the policy direction of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad.
IPSS rejected suggestions that NBAIS duplicates the functions of examination bodies such as WAEC and NECO, insisting that the Board serves a distinct constitutional mandate by regulating Arabic and Islamic education and integrating it into the national education framework.
It warned that abolishing the institution could increase the number of out-of-school children, worsen youth unemployment, and expose more young people to criminality and violent extremism.
The organisation therefore urged the Presidency, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, the Sultan of Sokoto, emirs, civil society organisations, and the media to assess NBAIS based on its impact rather than unverified allegations.
IPSS also appealed for sustained funding and institutional support for the Board, stressing that its nationwide mandate requires adequate resources to effectively supervise learning centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The Nigerian child deserves quality education, hope, and opportunity.
“Protecting NBAIS is protecting the future of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
