*Accuses Gov Mutfwang of insensitivity, exclusion
By; ISAAC ODEH, Kaduna
Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN), has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to make public, identity of the religious body allegedly sponsoring terrorism/insurgency with ₦7 billion out of ₦13 billion traced to its account.
This was as the council accused the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang of insensitivity for secluding the Muslim community in the constitution of the state security committee in response to the persistent crises that have claimed numerous lives and property in the state.
The council in a statement jointly signed by its President and Secretary General, Sheikh AbdurRasheed Hadiyatullah and Nafi’u Baba Ahmed, said the revelation by the EFCC of a religious body sponsoring terrorism, sent shockwaves across the nation and raised concerns about potential fund misuse for activities threatening Nigeria’s peace and security.
It argued that, the gravity of the situation calls for immediate public clarification of the group and decisive action to address the disturbing nexus between religious groups and insurgency.
According to SCSN, “regarding the recent disclosure by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about religious groups sponsoring insurgency in Nigeria, the Council demands the Commission to disclose the identity of the religious body allegedly sponsoring terrorism/insurgency with ₦7 billion out of ₦13 billion traced to its account.
“This revelation has sent shockwaves across the nation, raising concerns about potential fund misuse for activities threatening Nigeria’s peace and security. The gravity of the situation calls for immediate public clarification of the group and decisive action to address the disturbing nexus between religious groups and insurgency.
“Accordingly, we urgently call upon the EFCC to publish the list of all sponsors involved in criminal activities. The alleged disclosure of ₦7 billion linked to a religious group’s account is a matter of grave concern, and citizens demand proper legal action against sponsors and those found complicit in financing activities undermining the nation’s security.
“We further call on the EFCC to expedite the release of the list of sponsors and collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure prompt legal actions are taken,” the council said.
On the alleged exclusion of the Muslim community from the Plateau State Security Committee, the Shariah Council called on Governor Mutfwang to as a matter of urgency reevaluate the committee’s composition to ensure true representation of the entire population.
It said, the current imbalance, does not not only undermines the principles of justice but also hinders the development of a united front against the challenges faced by the state.
“In light of the recent letter released by the Secretary to the Government of Plateau State on January 29th, 2024, addressing the ongoing crises that have claimed numerous lives and caused extensive property damage in the state, we express our deep outrage at the gross insensitivity over the constitution of the security committee by the state governor.
“The composition of the committee has raised serious questions about fairness and inclusivity, since the entire members of committee are Christians, expected to superintend over a lingering religious crisis. This is a textbook antithesis of the principles of equality and transparency.
“The situation in Plateau State demands a comprehensive and impartial approach. The total exclusion of Muslims representation in the security committee not only disregards the diverse fabric of the state (with at least 40% Muslims) but also jeopardizes the effectiveness of the committee in addressing the root causes of the ongoing conflicts.
“We urgently call for a reevaluation of the committee’s composition to ensure that it is truly representative of the entire population. The current imbalance not only undermines the principles of justice but also hinders the development of a united front against the challenges faced by the state.
“We therefore, demand, as a right and in the interest of equity, the Governor to heed this call for justice and equitable representation, as his action is sending a disturbing message to the world and creating a recipe for compounding the crisis.
“Failure to reconstitute the committee will be interpreted as a reflection of the State’s disregard for its Muslim citizens, despite their significant population. This would be a stark contradiction to the values of equality and non-discrimination that Nigeria, as a diverse and democratic nation, upholds.
“The governor should learn from other northern states with Christian minority, their sense of fairness and responsibility in similar situation,” SCSN said.
Related
