An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ayuba Yahaya Tafawa-Balewa has come hard on the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede following media report credited to him that Muslim communities were being persecuted in Tafawa Balewa, in Bauchi state
The Islamic cleric, who spoke to newsmen at the NUJ secretariat in Bauchi on Wednesday, dismissed the claim as a lie, lamenting that such comments were capable of inciting the people and causing religious war where both Christians and Muslims are living in peace and without rancour.
Tafawa-Balewa said it was shocking for such sensitive and brazen comment on religious matters to be coming from the NSCIA scribe in Nigeria at a time all hands are supposed to be on deck to exterminate hate speeches and inciting words.
According to him, “I want to assure Nigerians that there is currently no crisis of any nature in Tafawa Balewa, talk less of Muslims being persecuted by any tribal or religious body.”
The cleric stressed that Oloyede should be investigated, describing the comment credited to him as careless and an attempt to cause disharmony among residents in the area.
His words, “Currently, both Muslims and Christian attend the same market, apart from doing politics together. How can somebody in Lagos manufacture such blatant lies for his selfish interest? Oloyede is ignorant of current peace in Tafawa Balewa, where did he get this wrong information?”
Tafawa-Balewa advised Oloyede to concentrate on his assignment as the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and relinquish his position as the Secretary-General of NSCIA.
He also urged Oloyede to immediately retract his comment that Muslim communities were being persecuted in Tafawa Balewa, if he truly represents the NSCIA interest on the need for peace.
The cleric said, “As a sheikh and a son of Tafawa Balewa, I have had exhaustive consultations with various stakeholders in the area including Gung Zaar, Air Commander Ishaku Komo (TRD) as well as youth groups on the need for peaceful co-existence.”
Tafawa-Balewa however called on state and federal governments to do more with a view to ensuring perpetual peace in the country.
Comments