The Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque, Shiekh Nuru Khalid, who was recently sacked for his hard critic of the Federal Government of Nigeria over the worsening insecurity situation in the country has come out to state that did not regret criticising the government.
The fearless cleric made the declaration in an interview with BBC Hausa on Monday. He said it is painful that the chairman of the mosque committee, which sacked him, Senator Saidu Dansadau, hails from Zamfara State. He said the state where the Senator comes from suffers from a high rate of insecurity as well.
He repeated, “The insecurity in Nigeria is worrisome. It requires collective responsibility to be tackled. Dansadau is also from Zamfara State where killings are very high. This is about humanity, not position. I have no regret over my sermons.”
The mosque committee of Apo legislative quarters, Abuja, had suspended Khalid over a sermon he delivered on Friday, April 1. Khalid, who is also the Founder of Islamic Research and Da’awah Foundation, in the sermon, criticised the government for its failure to stop insecurity in the country.
The Imam specifically told the electorate not to vote for any politician who cannot guarantee them the safety of lives and properties. While delivering the sermon, he said, “Nigerian masses should resort to only one term which is – protect our lives, we will come out to vote; let us be killed, we will not come out to vote, since it’s only elections that you people know.
“We need prayers. We need supplication. This is very important at a time when Nigeria is facing a very serious challenge. Everything is not working well. People are dying. Our roads are not secured.
“Most part of the country is not secured. The government is always telling us that they are doing their best. But we deserve more than that best as citizens because we want a secured Nigeria.
“What you are telling us is that your concern is about the 2023 elections. And what I am telling the citizens is to send a message that we are going to vote under one condition. Nigerian masses should resort to only one term which is – protect our lives, we will come out to vote; let us be killed, we will not come out to vote, since it’s the only language you understand, we are going to speak it.
“Our lives are important to us. We want to live. Our wealth and dignity are important as well. You must do something to secure our lives and make our security workable. We cannot afford to be moving like this. People attacking our trains, killing our people as if there is no government in this country.
“They (bandits) can gather and disseminate intelligence information as if they are a government of their own while our government cannot share information and stop the rubbish on our ways.”
