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Nigeria’s Muslim leaders under the aegis of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) yesterday stormed the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to protest the alleged marginalisation of Muslims in the composition of the on-going National Conference.

The delegation was led by NSCIA National President, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto. Other members of the delegation included the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Lawal Uwais, former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, and NSCIA Secretary General, Ishaq Oloyede, among others.

Briefing State House correspondents after the delegation met behind closed doors with President Goodluck Jonathan, Oloyede said:

“What we came to discuss with the President is to consult with Mr. President and we are happy we consulted with him, and he has given us reasons to re-assure that Muslims in Nigeria are not deliberately marginalised and he has asked us to convey the feelings of the government, the genuineness of the government, the fairness of the government to the entire populace.

“The president told us that if there are issues that are not as they ought to be, they were not definitely deliberate and we want to believe that Mr. President told us his mind but we also want to believe that it is proper to protest, it is also proper to assume that a leader will always be just even if there are mistakes thereafter.

“We just felt that we must convey the feelings of the Muslims in Nigeria to Mr. President and he has given us his words to re-assure the Muslims community that he is a genuine and committed Christian who will not be unjust to others even.”

•Photo shows NSCIA National President, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, who led the delegation.

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