TheCable

Nuru Khalid, the Abuja imam who was recently sacked after a sermon on insecurity, has explained why he chose to speak on the country’s security challenges.

The Islamic cleric was sacked as the chief imam of the Apo legislative quarters Juma’at mosque in Abuja after he criticised the government for its inadequacy in dealing with insecurity, following the attack on a train in Kaduna.

In the sermon which led to his sack, the cleric asked citizens not to vote for any politician who cannot guarantee the safety of lives and properties of Nigerians.

Consequently, he was suspended from his position and later sacked by the mosque’s committee.

In an interview published by Channels TV on Wednesday, the cleric said he would rather go to hell than choose not to speak on issues affecting security of Nigerians.

“If it is a sin to ask for a secure Nigeria, I am ready to go to hell for that. But I know it is not a sin to ask for a secure Nigeria,” he said.

“What I did was right, because I said it was unfortunate for us to experience what happened to Nigerians in the train.

“It was unfortunate and I said his excellency, the president, was supposed to do more than what he did.

“I said if they are only concerned with voting and elections — with counting votes — then we are going to speak that language to them and give them the condition to secure Nigeria before 2023 or we don’t vote again. What we are asking for is security.”