As Katsina Muslim Group Condemns Agabi Over Sharia

The Katsina state chapter of the Izalatul Bid'a Waikamatus sunna has condemned the minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Kanu Agabi, over his letter to sharia implementing states, which urges them to subordinate the Islamic legal system to the constitution.

The condemnation was made in Izala mosques across the state during the Friday (Jumat) prayer where the Justice Minister and his call on the Sharia states governors were the subject of sermons by Imams, special prayers and preaching by Muslim clerics.

At the Kofar Kaura mosque, which is considered the hot bed of Izala activism, the Chief Imam, Sheikh Sani Kerau and Ustaz Abdullahi Yusuf devoted their sermons and preaching respectively on Mr Agabi, denouncing what they termed as the minister's subtle attempt to do the bidding of America and its European cohorts, notably Britain, to subvert the wishes, desires and yearnings of Nigerian Muslims.

The Izala movement, according to the clerics, views the minister's action as nothing but a "cheap attempt to dance to the tune of enemies of Muslims and Islam as well as those who do not wish Nigeria well," warning that Nigerian Muslims will go to any length to protect their religion and its tenets irrespective of whatever the consequences may be.

They reaffirmed their support for General Buhari's alleged statement that Muslims should vote only fellow Muslims who will protect, promote and project their interest in future elections, noting that no amount of intimidation, threat and blackmail will make Nigerian Muslims vote non-Muslims into power again.

The clerics also urged all Muslim office holders whether elected or appointed, to denounce the minister of justice in defence of Islam and the promotion of its interest in Nigeria and the world in general.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Kanu Agabi, had last week written a letter to Sharia state governors titled "Prohibition of Discriminatory punishment," urging them to stop imposing discriminatory punishments on persons found guilty of offences under the shariah law, among other things.