JNI Inciting Violent Attack Against Me – Bishop Kukah

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, has accused the Sultan of Sokoto-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) of inciting violence against him.

Recall that Kukah in a Christmas Day message accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of nepotism.

The Bishop also stated that there would have been a coup if another president had acted like Buhari.

But in a swift reacting to Kukah’s statement, the JNI in a statement signed by its Genera-Secretary, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, accused the cleric of targeting his message at Islam and Muslims in the country.

The JNI also described Bishop Kukah’s statement as “irresponsible and seditious.”

“Though the message is disguised as a political hogwash to deceive the innocent, there is no doubt that it was a poisoned arrow fired at the heart of Islam and Muslims in Nigeria, hence the need for this intervention,” Aliyu stated.

Reacting in a statement on Monday, Kukah accused Aliyu of inciting violence against him over a statement that was issued to criticize government policies.

According to TheCable, the clergyman asked the JNI secretary to show where he attacked Islam or Muslims in the statement.

“Dr Aliyu has accused me of being an enemy of his Religion, Islam. He accused me of what he calls, firing an arrow at the heart of Islam and Muslims in Nigeria. He says I have been accorded respect and accommodated in Sokoto and I have turned around to bite a finger that has fed me,” Kukah said.

“He poses a question: How can Muslims continue to be hospitable to one who proves to be an ingrate many times over? How can Muslims be comfortable in associating with a bitterly vindictive person disguised in the garb of a religious cleric? I can only take this statement from the Secretary-General of JNI as a clear case of incitement to violence against me.

“The relevant paragraphs in my Sermon focused on the two painful themes of nepotism and the haemorrhaging of lives in our country, a fact that as I said, most religious leaders and statesmen and women have alluded to,” he said.

“How a critique of government policies suddenly becomes hatred of Islam and the north, beggars belief. I am therefore calling on Dr. Aliyu to clarify and validate his accusations against me and advance the reasons why he should incite violence against me.

“I am unaware of anyone in Sokoto who has accused me of any misdemeanour or actions aimed at undermining the state or anyone, no least the faith of Islam.”

Follow Us On Google Journalistic Standards