The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has described hate against the minority Igbo Muslims in the South-East as not only, but also negates efforts aimed at nation building.
This is even as the Supreme Leader of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army to investigate the recent killing of Colonel Abdur-Razaq AbdlKarim Ode, at his Abuja residence so as to get to the root of circumstances that led to the shooting of the officer, the Sultan described as “a fine military intelligence officer”.
He stated this in a release, signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka, for Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto, while reacting to Colonel Ode’s death. The late officer is said to be the most senior Igbo Muslim Army officer as of the time of his alleged assassination.
According to the Sultan, Muslims in the country had been showing love and encouraging peaceful coexistence, tolerance, unity and restraints as enjoined upon them by Islamic rules, regulations and guidance as laid down in the Glorious Qur’an.
“The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, has described the incessant hate and bad-mouthing being reported against the minority Igbo Muslims in South East Nigeria as one sad development that cannot stand along effort on nation-building.
“The co-President, World’s Religions for Peace headquartered in New York made this description, while reacting to the recent assassination, allegedly, of Nigeria’s most senior Igbo Muslim Army officer, which occurred at his residence in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, recently,” the release read in part.
While noting that kîllîng of a single Nigerian without finding the cause of such act and bringing the perpetrator to justice does not portray the country as serious, Sultan Abubakar stated that the cause of Ode’s killing and attempt on the life of his family must be investigated.
“As Muslims, we continue to act by showing love and encouraging peaceful coexistence, tolerance, unity and restraints as enjoined upon us by Islamic rules, regulations and guidance laid down for us in the Glorious Qur’an.
“For this reason, the Federal Government and the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have gotten to put heads together and get to the roots of circumstances that led to the shooting at alleged close range of Army Colonel Abdur-Razaq AbdlKarim Ode, a fine military intelligence officer that both Muslim Ummah and traditional communities in the country, especially region he hailed from were proud of.
“To allow the kîllîng of any single Nigerian soul taken out without getting to the root of the cause and bringing the culprits to justice with a view to disallowing repeat of same is not a good way to talk about a serious country, much more when the life extrajudicially taken is that of a soldier of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The cause of this killing and attempt on the life of his family must be found out and the government and other appropriate quarters must do the needful,” the Sultan demanded.
According to the release, Sultan Abubakat then prayed to Allah to forgive the soul of Ode, “who passed by the ugly and condemnable incident”, and admit the late Army officer to Al-Jannah Firdaos.
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