By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
High level Clerics in Bauchi State under the under the auspices of an Islamic organization ‘As’habul Kahfi Warraqeen’ have condemned in totality and rejected what it called un-Islamic, wrong and so-called death sentence recently delivered by Judge Ibrahim Sarki Yola on Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara for alleged blasphemy.
“The purported un-Islamic, so-called judgment by Ibrahim Sarki Yola is totally wrong and un-Islamic, we therefore reject it because the judgment was negatively manipulated from the beginning to the end, said the organization public relations officer, Abdullahi Musa.
The ‘As’habul Kahfi Warraqeen’ Public Relations Officer said in a statement in Bauchi Monday that the judgment was politically processed by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje because Sheikh Abduljabbar was a critic to Governor Ganduje’s corrupt tendencies which he vehemently kicks against.
“We notice that some of the sects who now ganged up to eliminate Abduljabbar were the ones who committed series of blasphemies in their preaching, but nothing was done to them, as they continue to practice their religion without hindrance”.
Musa allegedly enumerated these blasphemers to include Qaribu Kabara, Abdulrazak Yahya Haifan, Abbas Jega, Jalo Jalingo, Ahmad Gumi, Abdulwahab Abdullah and Sani Rijiyar Lemo, saying “But because they are close to people in power, they went scot free while our spiritual leader who is innocent is now facing persecution”.
“First of all, we are not satisfied with the judgment, because we believe it was influenced by the Kano state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and some clerics in the state who are known to be at logger heads with Abduljabbar for a long time. They therefore ganged up against him and labeled false allegations of blasphemy against him in order to smear him and eliminate him through the court”, PRO said.
According to him, the allegation of blasphemy against Sheikh Abduljabbar is nothing but campaign of calumny and character assassination by his detractors including Governor Ganduje and some clerics who feel threatened by Abduljabbari’s increasing popularity.
Malam Abdullahi Musa explained that the detractors purported an allegation of blasphemy to give Abduljabbar a bad name, and have justification for their evil plan to exterminate his life, hence the Bauchi clerics resolve to appeal against the judgment in a higher Court of law to quash this unsatisfactory judgment and impose his fundamental human rights.
Musa stated that through the appeal at a higher competent Court of law, the Bauchi clerics would impose Sheikh Abduljabbar fundamental human rights, especially those of freedom of religion and thought as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution (as amended).
The Clerics called on Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, National and International Human Right Organization and Human Rights lawyers like Mr. Femi Falana, respected human rights activist, Ahmad Isa, and others to join them counter the unfair and unjustified gang up against their leader by providing legal aid to him.
