Islamic preachers, operating under the aegis of the Conference of Islamic Preachers in Africa (CIPA) and a renowned peace advocacy and humanitarian non-governmental organization (NGO), bearing Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), have collectively petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director General Department of State Service (DSS).
They demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of a Kaduna State based Islamic preacher, Sheikh Muktar Durum Zander, over some recent inflammatory remarks against the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa.
The preacher had in a recent viral video, insinuated that General Christopher Musa was behind the decision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to invade Niger, following the military coup that seized power in the country.
Recall that the Nigerian Defence Chief had read the decision of the ECOWAS Defence Chiefs in Abuja after the coup, where it was resolved to use military force to restore the dethroned civilian government of Niger, led by President Mohammed Bazoum.
But the Islamic preacher took a swipe at the decision, profiling Gen. Musa as being behind the action of ECOWAS to declare war in Niger, insinuating that the Nigerian military chief had malicious intentions against the Muslim community.
CIPA and GOPRI, in a joint petition obtained by our reporter on Sunday, gave a seven-day ultimatum to the police IGP to effect the arrest and subsequent prosecution of the preacher for hate speech, failure of which they threatened legal action to compel the nation’s law enforcement agencies’ chiefs to act.
The petition was sent to the IGP through their lawyers, Daniel Obla Esq. O.T. Lukden (MRS) and A.K Shafii of Obla Daniels & CO law firm.
In the petition addressed to the IGP and DG DSS at Abuja, the petitioners noted that the action of Sheikh Muktar Durum has the potential to undermine international and national peacekeeping efforts because he urged other Muslims to see the ECOWAS’s decision to engage the Nigerien Republic as a Christian war against their fellow Muslim brothers in the Niger Republic.
The lawyers informed the IGP and DG DSS that their clients have instructed them that within 7 days of the letter being served on them, if they failed, neglected, or refused to do the needful, they should pursue all legal means to compel the execution of his administrative function before a court of competent jurisdiction
They described their clients as “peace advocacy and humanitarian Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) that promotes peace and humanitarian actions.”
“The cleric’s statement is capable of whipping up both religious and ethnic sentiments and sparking up a round of religious unrest in the state and the region.
“The security agencies must be seen as being proactive in the fight against the perpetrators of division and divisive tendencies in the country
“Therefore, we request that you utilize your good authority to order the following: An urgent investigation into the cleric and any words he made that would have caused a breach of the peace. Direct the cleric’s immediate arrest and prosecution for using hate speech.
“Take note, that our clients have instructed us that within 7 days of this letter being served on you, and you failed, neglected, or refused to do the needful, we should pursue all legal means to compel the execution of your administrative function before a court of competent jurisdiction,” the petition read.
