Council cautions Bauchi religious leaders against inciteful sermons

The Bauchi State Security Council has warned that it will not allow religious leaders to incite and divide the people which may lead to crises in the state.

The Chairman of the Council and Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Ibrahim Kassim, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting held at the Government House on Monday, said two major issues threatening the relative peace in the state were discussed.

He said the council discussed the resurgence of young armed thugs popularly called “Sara Suka” who are attacking innocent residents as well as looting their properties.

Kassim said that the recent preaching by an Islamic scholar in the state during a Ramadan Tafsir, which he claimed, generated a lot of heat, reactions and counter-preachings, was also discussed extensively.

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“As you are aware, we are just coming out of a very rigorous electioneering period, a lot of things have been happening after these elections that need a lot of security measures. We’ve been managing them and thank God the state is still as peaceful as it has always been.

“You are aware that there have been some murmurings and some back and forth about issues relating to preaching and the understanding of the context of the preaching and the heat it has been generating. We’ve discussed the issues.

“On the issue of the immediate security issue in the state, we discussed the issue of the preaching and the counter accusation and counter preachings. As far as we are concerned, it is not the issue of ideology, it is not the issue of politics but that of inciteful statements that are bound to cause division between our people.

“So we’ve met, discussed it and we are resolved that Bauchi is a very peaceful state and we will do everything within our power to make sure that it remains peaceful,” he said.

“We will not allow anybody either through actions or utterances to disrupt the peace that we’ve been enjoying in the state. That’s why we felt it is important that we meet here today and after that, we are now briefing you, members of the press, and the public.”

The SSG said that the Bauchi State Government was aware of its responsibilities with the major responsibility being security of lives and properties of the people of the state.