Kebbi State Govt Dissociates Self From Resignation Of Chief Imam

The Kebbi State Government says it has no hand, whatsoever, in the resignation of the Chief Imam of Wala Jumaat Mosque in Birnin Kebbi metropolis, Malam Rufai Ibrahim .

The Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Arch. Muhammad Sani Aliyu made the clarification when he addressed newsmen on Sunday in Birnin Kebbi.

He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a viral report on the social media alluding to the resignation of the one of the Chief Imams in Birnin Kebbi, the Chief Inam of Wala Jumaat Mosque, Malam Rufai Ibrahim.

“We have heard with surprise that he has relinguished his appointment as the Imam of the Mosque.

“Whatever those reasons of his.
might be , the state government has no hand in his actions.”

According to the Commissioner, what is clear to the state government is that the state Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, has in his bid to assist the less privileged members of the society, extended some Ramadan gestures to a cross section of people of the state.

He said that the gestures were aimed at alleviating the suffering of the people of the state, more especially during the ongoing Ramadan fast.

Arch. Sani Aliyu added that same support was extended to the various Imams across the state as leaders in their respective communities.

He said,”Unfortunately, as the time the support got to the Mosque, the Imam was not there.

“The support was handed over to his assistant. We were also reliably informed that the support was handed over to him.

“Unfortunately, we were also reliably informed that he did not want others to know what exactly transpired.”

The Commissioner added that the same support was extended to all the Mosques across the state to reduce the harship of the people of the state.

“Later, we heard that for some grudges, he has reported the matter to the DSS and those who were engaged in the distribution were invited for questioning.

“That was why the Ministry was also invited to shed some light.

“The gesture was extended through the Ministry for Local Governments and staff were used.

“He should have gotten back to the Commissioner, the Emirate, our Ministry of even to the Governor for any inquiries,”he added.

Arch. Sani Aliyu also said that they have learnt that he had resorted to the use of the social media to dish out the report of his resignation.

The commissioner said that the Local Government under whose purivew the position falls had since accepted his resignation.

In the same vein, it has directed his deputy to take over the position pending the appointment of a new substantive Imam.

He, however, appealed to the people of the state to remain peaceful and calm, insisting that the state government was not witch-hunting anybody

The Commissioner said”The issue of leadership is a matter of personal interest and nobody should be forced into accepting it.

“We are also calling on the Gwandu Emirate Council to initiate urgent processes to appoint his successor,’ he said.

Credit: YAHAYA SARKI,
Special Adviser to Kebbi State Governor on Media and Publicity