Governor Nyesom Wike.
The Supreme Council of Shari’ah in Nigeria, on Monday condemned Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers for ordering the demolition of a Jumaat mosque in Port Harcourt.
The Secretary General of the council, Nafiu Baba-Ahmad said while addressing newsmen in Kaduna said that the action was not only irresponsible but also capable of degenerating into serious security problem in the country.
The Sharia council also lampooned Muslim leaders, including governors and legislators for their conspiratorial silence in the face of great injustice against Muslims.
“While we condemn Wike’s desperate wickedness, we also call on all relevant executive, legislative organs of the Federal Government to nip this unnecessary and unwholesome development before it escalates into an avoidable reciprocation, with obvious unpredictable negative consequences,” the council said.
It reminded Wike that what makes Nigeria great is its pluralism and diversity.
The council recalled that recent survey on the number of churches in the country, revealed that “there are more churches in Kano city alone than in Bayelsa State and the number of churches in Sokoto out number those in Ebonyi State.”
“So, if we adopt similar intolerant and irresponsible action by Governor Wike, only God knows what the negative consequence would be for peace and continued corporate existence of the country.”
It added that “Islam means peace and total submission to the will of Allah, so it is because of that you have in the city of the Caliphate more churches than in the whole Bayelsa state.”
The council stressed that Wike was lying when he claimed that he did not demolish any mosque.
It stressed that the mosque had valid approvals of the state government, as such there was no justification for its demolition.
“Clearly he got carried away by the recent declaration of Rivers as a Christian state, therefore, he is trying to show his intolerance of Muslims.”
The Sharia council demanded that “Governor Wike should reverse what he has done and pay compensation for demolishing the mosque and reinstate their title for the land. As a responsible political leader he ought to have taken the interest of the larger population than selfish political interest.” (NAN)
