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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has called for calm in Muslim communities in Yobe State and beyond, over the recent murder of an Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami Gashua.
Sheikh Gashua was murdered last Friday by two suspected soldiers, Lance Corporals John Gabriel and Adamu Gideon, of the 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State.
Reports claimed that Sheikh Gashua was on his way to Gashua from Nguru, when he offered to give a ride to a soldier he met at the military checkpoint along Jaji-Maji in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The solider whom Sheikh Gashua helped was said to have shot him dead in cold blood some kilometres away from the military checkpoint, and called his colleague to assist in fleeing with the deceased vehicle, thereby, throwing millions of his family members, students, followers and the entire Muslim community into mourning.
Deputy Secretary General, NSCIA, Prof. Salisu Shehu, in a statement yesterday, said: “We are particularly grieved by this tragedy because it is axiomatic in Islam. According to the narration of Ibn Mas’ud, the death of a scholar is a loss that cannot be replaced for as long as the day and night alternate.
“While appealing to Muslims to have faith in the military authorities and the judiciary in thoroughly investigating the murder and bringing the perpetrators to justice, we urge them not to read religious motives into the incident as others would do because we are not like them.
“Since we come from Allah and we shall all return to Him, and no soul would taste death except with His leave, the Ummah should rest assured that the perpetrators will come to judgement. Muslims should, therefore, remain calm as they join us in praying that Allah grants Sheikh Aisami and others like him Aljannah Firdaus.”
Prof. Shehu, however, commended Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences Court for sentencing Pastor Erinmole Adetokunbo and Adedoyin Oyekanmi to death for the crime of beheading a seven-year-old Muslim boy, Kazeem Rafiu, and using his head for rituals in a church.
He said: “It was the culmination of a five-year case involving the duo, who, on June 7, 2017, viciously cut off the innocent boy’s head, buried it under the altar of their church and threw his body into the canal. It was a most condemnable murder of the highest order committed in the name of fetish development of the church.”
Meanwhile, the NSCIA has expressed disappointment in the Federal Government for the way it has handled the case of the murder of Gen. Idris Alkali, who was killed while on his way from Abuja to Bauchi, in 2018.
“Up till this moment, we have not heard what became of his killers. While we sue for justice in the case of Sheikh Aisami, the Federal Government should ensure that the killers of Gen. Alkali are brought to face the wrath of the law.”
