The Kano State Shura Council on Monday held a closed-door session with Islamic cleric Malam Lawan Shu’aibu Abubakar, popularly known as Triumph, to discuss allegations of blasphemy leveled against him by five Islamic groups.

The meeting, whichh took place at the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Kano, was convened to clarify statements attributed to the cleric in some viral videos that allegedly contained remarks considered derogatory to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Present at the session were the Chairman of the Council, Wazirin Kano, Sa’ad Shehu Gidado; the Secretary, Shehu Wada Sagagi; the Kano Director of DSS, and several respected Islamic scholars who are members of the Shura subcommittee tasked with examining the matter.

The meeting began at exactly 11:39am with an opening prayer led by Malam Abba Koki, after which the Council Chairman, Wazirin Kano, welcomed participants and outlined the purpose of the gathering.

“In September 2025, the government received a petition from five Islamic groups alleging that some teachings of the accused amounted to blasphemy against the Prophet. The petition was forwarded to the Shura Council to investigate and make recommendations after hearing from him,” Gidado said.

“This is not a court session but a discussion between the Council and the accused. Whatever we do here will be forwarded to the government for further consideration.”

The Council said although nine issues were raised in the petition, four specific allegations with verifiable evidence were selected for deliberation. These included claims that the Prophet was born circumcised and with eyeliner (kwalli), that he had lice on his head, and that he used to visit the homes of married women, citing an example involving Ummu Haramun, his aunt.

A video recording containing the contentious statements was played at 11:53am, and by 12:09pm, Malam Triumph confirmed ownership of the clips.

“They are all my submissions,” he said.

When given the floor to explain, the cleric denied making the statements in the manner alleged.

“I said the Prophet was not born circumcised, with a cut navel or with eyeliner. That he was born circumcised is false; his uncle, Abdulmuttalib, took him for circumcision. Books are available to verify this,” he stated while referencing multiple Islamic texts to support his argument.

On the issue of eyeliner, the cleric said, “I said even animals are born with eyeliner but it cannot be associated with the Prophet because he is above that. I said he did not have it because anything Allah gives him is alwayss special.”

During the discussion, Sheikh Habibu Muhammad Dan Almajiri questioned the cleric’s sources, asking him to identify scholars who explicitly supported his position. Other members, including Sheikh Abdullahi Uwais, Malam Usman Makwarari, and Malam Mai Bushira, emphasized the sensitivity of religious teachings and cautioned against statements that could be misunderstood by the public.

“People of Kano are very sensitive when it comes to anything related to the Prophet. You must be careful with language and context. Even if your intention is good, your words might cause confusion. Please change your approach to teaching,” Mai Bushira said.

Malam Triumph responded that his remarks were taken out of context.

“We sat with the Shari’a Commission earlier and they understood me. Some people didn’t even hear the full clip but judged from short videos. I was misunderstood,” he said.

The Chairman of the Council, Wazirin Kano, reminded participants that the session was not for debate but dialogue aimed at clarification.

In his closing remarks, Malam Triumph expressed appreciation to the Council and reiterated his commitment to peaceful preaching.

“Some people took my clips and misinterpreted them, which can instigate the public. I believe in the Prophet and his teachings; he is our saviour. To those who misunderstood my words, I seek forgiveness. It was not intentional.

“God knows I love peace and peaceful coexistence. May He guide us all,” he said.

Sheikh Abdullahi Uwais Limanci concluded by advising the cleric and other preachers to exercise caution in their choice of words to avoid future controversies.

The meeting ended with a resolution that the Council would forward its findings and recommendations to the state government for appropriate consideration. (Daily Trust)