You lied - Sultan knocks Ortom, Fani-Kayode for linking herdsmen killings to Danfodio’s jihad
- The Jama’atu Nasril Islam led by the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll-led, is not happy with Governor Samuel Ortom and Femi Fani-Kayode
- The Sultan's group says they lied by claiming herdsmen attacks are a continuation of the late Usman Danfodio’s jihad
- The group urges Muslims to pray ahead of the 2019 election
The Jama’atu Nasril Islam led by the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll-led, has slammed Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, and a former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, for linking herdsmen killings across Benue, Taraba and other parts of the north, to the continuation of the late Usman Danfodio’s jihad.
The sultan, who is the president-general of the JNI with headquarters in Kaduna, warned the governor and his others, not to take Nigerian Muslims for granted.
The Punch reports that the JNI urged Muslims to intensify prayers for peace as the 2019 general elections approach adding that this is important as politicians continue to foment crisis in the land.
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Through its secretary-general, Abubakar Khalid Aliyu, the JNI said: “Muslims to intensify prayers for peace to return to the nation and for a hitch-free 2019 general election as politicians are busy trying to cause crises with their unguarded utterances.
“This is a reaction to a recent interview granted by HE Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State to an online TV programme, The Osasu Show, in Makurdi, the state capital, and has been carried widely by both the print and electronic media, to the effect that the ongoing herders-farmers clashes in his state are a continuation of the Jihad of our revered Shehu Usman Danfodio.
“For the records, the governor is not alone in throwing these tantrums, Femi Fani Kayode, one-time minister of aviation during the reign of President Obasanjo has always said lots of unprintable things against Shehu Danfodio.
“This rejoinder is premised on the fact that Islam does not encourage its adherents to castigate other people of faith or fabricate lies against them but encourages that once the Ummah (Society) of Islam is frequently maligned, then it is incumbent on the society to defend itself, hence the need for this write-up.
“The Benue governor got it wrong, most likely because of his malicious intent to smear the revered personality of Shehu Danfodio who had said in a widely-quoted statement that: ‘Truth is an open wound, only justice can heal it’.
“It should be noted that the Benue state government and the Tiv Traditional Council have overtime been yelling that the Fulani crisis at their end is a continuation of Danfodiyo’s jihad.
“A case in point was the 17th March, 2014 press statement with Reference Number TTC/P1/2 signed by Ber Godwin, Press Secretary to the Tor Tiv and the Tiv Area Traditional Council.
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“We, therefore, call on all, particularly the Benue state government and its cohorts not to take for granted the leadership of Nigerian Muslims over these unfortunate crises in the name of herders-farmers’ clashes, particularly at this very critical time when the security challenges in the country are so many. More so, it is Ramadan period, a time we Muslims are enjoined to be cautious and calm in our affairs.”
Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, on Tuesday, May 29, exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari from the herdsmen killings in the state, stressing that those linking the president to attacks were being mischievous.
He recalled that the herdsmen crisis predated the present administration assuring that the people of the state would still support the president in the coming 2019 general elections despite the losses and pains they suffered as a result of the herdsmen incursions in the state, Vanguard reports.
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Source: Legit.ng
