TheCable

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria has criticised Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, over the “demolition of a mosque” in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Wike, who has come under fire since the news broke, has denied demolishing the mosque but some worshippers and residents of the state accused the governor of not saying the truth.

While addressing reporters in Kaduna on Monday, Nafiu Baba-Ahmed, secretary-general of the council, said the action is not only irresponsible but 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.

“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,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He said what makes Nigeria great is its pluralism and diversity, adding that a recent survey on the number of churches in the country, showed 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,” he said.

“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.

“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.”

He asked Wike to reverse what he has done and pay compensation for demolishing the mosque and reinstate their title for the land.