The Sultan of Sokoto and president of the Jaamatul Nasir Islam, the umbrella body of all Muslims in Nigeria, Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for caution and restraint by Muslims in its reaction to the alleged demolition of a mosque in the Transamadi area of Port Harcourt. Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III In a statement issued in Kaduna, the Sultan said the caution and restraint was necessary to allow the leadership of the Muslim Ummah “find lasting solution with wisdom”.

The statement which was signed by the Secretary-General, JNI Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu noted that since the news broke of the “dastard act” by the Rivers state government, the leadership of JNI had been working round the clock to find a solution.

The statement reads: “Jama’tu Nasril Islam (JNI) under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, as custodian of the deen, the Islamic Religion in Nigeria, whose revered symbol is inherent in the Masjid, the Mosque, described by our revered Prophet, on whom peace and benediction of Allah will be upon, as Baitullah, the house of Allah, is without any doubt pained by the act of demolition of Trans-Amadi Mosque under whatever guise.

“However, at trying moments such as this, Muslims should be guided by the Qur’anic teaching of introspection and perseverance, truthfulness and sincerity. Such stand fetches for them Allah’s guidance on how the situation would be approached and solved.

“The above approach is to enable the Muslim Ummah to come together in unity under its leadership, which I swear in the name of Allah the Exalted, right from the time the dastardly act of the Trans-Amadi Mosque demolition took place, is working round the clock in finding lasting solutions with wisdom, for what the Rivers State Government did, unfortunately, in order to forestall future occurrence of such abominable act in Rivers State and anywhere in Nigeria.

“Muslims are, therefore, called upon to be calm and restraint, and be prayerful, while the leadership seeks for concordant and accordant redress, within the shortest possible time frame in-sha-Allah.”

(Vanguard)