5:T77b,

There is excitement within Muslim circles in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria, following news of the conversion to Islam by a popular Christian cleric.

There was a palpable tension in the state yesterday following speculations that Arch-Bishop Peter Jatau, the former Bishop of Kaduna has converted to Islam in Zaria.

News Express can however authoritatively report that it is another Jatau – Rev. Bitrus Jatau – who converted to Islam and not Bishop Peter Jatau.

Painting a clear picture of what happened, the deputy Chairman of the Izzalatul Bidi’a Waikamatul Sunnah Zaria Local Government Branch, Imam Khadir, told News Express: “There was a mix-up in the name whereby some people thought that Rev. Bitrus Jatau was the former Bishop Peter Jatau.

“What happened at Alhaji Haruna Danja’s Mosque on Sunday was supposed to be a meeting with ulamas and confession to be made by Reverend Bitrus Jatau, but the event was disrupted by people who came to witness the confession.

“Because of the confusion the name Jatau generated, a lot of people who came from far and wide thought that it was Bishop Peter Jatau that was to receive the Kallamantu-Shahada at the Haruna Danja’s Mosque situated at Kongo, Zaria on that Sunday night. The lighting system and the speakers were tampered with, so we had to postpone the whole thing and reschedule it until another day.”

Imam Khadir than thanked News Express for making efforts t verify the true position of things before going to press. He warned that people should be weary of rumour mongering as it can go a long way to tarnish somebody’s image or portray one as someone not trustworthy.

•Photo shows Arc-Bishop Emeritus Peter Jatau who was mistaken as the new convert rather than Rev. Bitrus Jatau.

Update news