How Imam Khalid’s Sack Raised Fresh Questions on Freedom of Speech, Religion

• The sack of the Abuja Imam, Sheikh Nuru Khalid has continued to generate mixed reactions from notable personalities as well as religious faithful in the polity
• For some of them, the action taken against the Imam by some concerned authorities is totally uncalled for and for others, Khalid is speaking the mind of the people
• Despite harsh criticism, the Chief Imam of the Apo legislative quarters mosque secured a new appointment by the Management Committee for a new Jum’at Mosque

Following the sack of Imam Nuru Khalid from the legislative quarters mosque in Abuja, several troubling questions have been asked, challenging the authorities and the committee for allegedly setting a bad precedence in their decision and for violating the fundament human rights of the Imam who had only expressed his feelings about the current security problems in the country.

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It’s generally believed that the right to freedom of expression and religion has been further violated by those involved in the sack.

The APC-led administration headed by Buhari

The Buhari government has been criticized heavily by both local and international watchers for its alleged notoriety in the violation of human rights in Nigeria. Amnesty International has severally raised the alarm over some of those violations.

Though the government appears not to be directly involved in the sack, the committee chaired by a government official has further put the government under pressure, as Nigerians have continued to accuse the government of suppressing freedom of speech and expression.

But the government had severally denied suppressing freedom of speech and expression, saying the current government has given the required freedom to people to freely express themselves, but such should, however, be done in such a way that it does not threaten national peace and security.

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Recall that the government had alleged that the microblogging site, Twitter was anti-government, hence suspended its operation in Nigeria. The government consequently directed all broadcast stations in the country to suspend the use of Twitter.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, had as a result sued the Federal Government and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the said directive.

But the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had while defending the new law against Twitter said the aim was not to suppress citizen’s freedom of speech but to ensure the platform does not become a tool that will be used to distabilize the country.

The government has since lifted the ban on Twitter after an agreement was reached on its operation in Nigeria.

What did Imam Khalid say that led to his sack?

Iman Khalid had while preaching to Muslim faithful said everybody had failed the country over the current insecurity situation across the country.

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According to the former Imam of the legislative quarters' mosque, he had personally failed the country for not preaching about the negative effects of carrying of guns. He went further to blame parents of the faithful for failing to sensitize their children against insurgency.

He said governors of all the states had not done enough, hence they have failed, but that most especially, His excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the country for not being able to address the security issue despite his promises before assumption of office that he was ending insecurity almost immediately.

The Imam recalled a video where Buhari said the military had the capacity to end insurgency, lamenting that almost at the end of Buhari’s second tenure, people were still being killed like chickens.

He cautioned the Muslim faithful to ask political leaders what they had done differently that should make them cast their votes for them.

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Imam Khalid said that he was ready to face the consequences of his comment and was also ready to take full responsibility.

Comment angers authorities/ Mosque leadership

Following the comment, a committee set up by the mosque quickly suspended the Imam and commenced an investigation into what they termed inciting comments.

The chairman of the mosque steering committee, Sai’du Dansadau, said the Imam was suspended for inciting sermon on April 1, explaining that the Imam’s preaching was directly against people exercising their civic rights when he advised them to give political leaders conditions before they are elected into offices. The chairman argued further that the preacher’s comment was clearly against the tenets of Islam.

But while people are still battling the euphoria of the Imam’s sack, the committee sent a sack letter to the Imam, alleging unrepentant and unremorseful behavior towards his comment. He was consequently fired from his position as the Imam of the legislative quarters' mosque.

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Imam Khalid reacts to sack

But in his reaction, the preacher said his sack was a price he had to pay for speaking truth to power about the suffering of Nigerians.

He said:

“My sack is a reflection of how Nigeria is today. “This is the price we pay for aligning with the people and identifying with their sufferings. By the Grace of Almighty Allah, I will be leading my new congregation this Friday, because as clerics, we need a platform for operating."

PDP tells authorities to stop fascist measures

Also reacting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the action against the cleric for speaking truth to power on the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government to protect Nigerians from terrorists was a dangerous and fascist approach.

In a statement by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the APC was told that suppressing the concerns of citizens would further trigger unrest, warning the party to drop such an approach.

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The party said that by clamping down on those who speak out truthfully, the APC has accepted that its government was built on anarchy.

Sheik Gumi faults Khalid

Contrary to the position of the PDP and many others, Sheik Ahmad Gumi had in a chat with journalists on Monday in Kaduna, said Imam Khalid’s action was worse than the kidnapping activities perpetrated by bandits.

He said Khalid was wrong for asking voters not to vote out bad leaders.

Gumi had said:

“It’s a case of sentiments overriding intellect. Calling masses not to vote out incompetent government by massive voting is worst than the few kidnappings and a misplaced judgement."

Imam Khalid: Shehu Sani is sad

A former Kaduna central district Senator and rights activist, Shehu Sani has said the suspension of the cleric was unconscionable.

Justifying the message passed by the cleric that warranted his sack, Sani said his criticisms of the government were a reflection of what many Nigerians hold against the government.

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Rights group decries sack of Imam Khalid

The founder of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, has said that the sack of the Imam was a show of shame and depicted the committee members as lackeys of politicians.

Onwubiko, in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng said:

“Why should a religious preacher be removed because certain worshippers are not comfortable that he spoke the truth? What then is the essence of gathering together to worship the Almighty God if those who lead the prayer sessions are to be manipulated like puppets and fed with half truths and lies to spew out from the pulpits?

Onwubiko fumes:

“Like most Nigerians, the decision to dismiss the Imam because he criticised the heightening state of insecurity is totally inexplicable and illogical. The act of removing a preacher for preaching a sermon that is not tailored to please some political demi gods, shows that some Nigerian politicians do actually see themselves as gods and not the servants of the people of the federal Republic of Nigeria. That act of infamy is the end of logic."

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Arewa youths fume over sack of Imam Khalid

The AREWA youths had earlier queried those responsible for the sack of the Imam, stating that the action of both the authorities and the mosque was dangerous and capable of causing more problems for the government.

The national president, Shettima Yerima, in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng said the right of the Imam was seriously infringed upon, considering that he only objectively dropped a comment on the security issue the government itself feels was a national problem.

Other Nigerians have equally voiced their concerns over the sack of Mr Khalid, but one thing remain unsure. Will teh Imam’s comment change a thing ahead of the 2023 elections? Only time will tell.

Abuja Imam Speaks as he gets new appointment after being sacked for criticising Buhari's govt

Meanwhile, Sheikh Khalid said the termination of his appointment by the mosque’s committee was a necessary price he had to pay for identifying with the sufferings masses and speaking truth to power.

Sheikh Khalid said this in an interview in Abuja on Monday night, April 4, adding that he was undeterred by his sack.

He also disclosed that he has been appointed by the Management Committee of a new Jum’at Mosque behind the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) Quarters, Abuja.

Source: Legit.ng