Cleric Denies Links To Sect

[TGD]

 ISLAMIC Clerics and management of the Yahaya Road mosque in Kaduna have denied reports by Wikileaks and a northern-based media of their romance with Boko Haram.

Chairman of the mosque, Alhaji Garba Ibrahim, said it was unfortunate that the Wikileaks and newspaper portrayed the mosque as a facilitator in organizing and hypnotizing students by teaching them Islamic extremism.

"Ordinarily, this ought not to bother us in view of the source of the information, the United States, leader of the Western Nations against Islam and Muslims, but for the records, and to re-assure parents and the government of Kaduna State that the report is nothing but a tissue of lies," they said.

Their statement explained that it was curious that a mosque situated in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) in the neighborhood of serving and retired top public officers, both Muslims and non-Muslims would undertake unlawful activities unnoticed except to the eyes and ears of the American Embassy.

"We started our religious programmes here as far back as 1978 when approval to us was granted by the state government through the JNI. The school was opened in November 1979 with 25 pupils," they said.

"An Islamic association known as 'Association for the propagation of Islam' that was founded in 1979, designed the curriculum and syllabus to be taught in the school."

The said the mosque had a pilot programme where children were taught how to memorize the Holy Qur'an and later, approval was granted the mosque by the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris, to be conducting both Jumu'at and Eid prayers.

The mosque's management, however, urged Nigerians to visit the place of worship and see things for themselves.

"Rather than being cowed by the malicious American report, it had strengthened their faith and commitment to observe and propagate all the tenets of Islam within the Shari'ah and laws of our country," they said.



The Guardian