The national headquarters of Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), the umbrella body of Nigerian Muslims, has called on Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and his cohorts not to take for granted the leadership of Nigerian Muslims over the unfortunate crises in the name of herders-farmers clashes.

This was contained in a rejoinder signed by the secretary-general of the body, Shaykh Khalid Aliyu Abubakar while reacting to a recent interview on an online TV programme titled ‘The Osasu Show’ in Makurdi where Governor Ortom was said to have mentioned that “the ongoing herders-farmers clashes in his state is a continuation of the Jihad of our revered Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo.”

Shaykh Abubakar, however, warned that the leadership of the Nigerian Muslims should not be taken for granted at this critical time when the security challenges in the country are so many and at Ramadan period when Muslims are enjoined to be cautious and calm in their affairs.

The rejoinder states: “For the records, the Governor is not alone in throwing these tantrums, Femi Fani Kayode, one-time Minister of Aviation during the reign of President Obasanjo has always said lots of unprintable things against Shehu Danfodiyo.

“Islam does not encourage its adherents to castigate other people of faith or fabricate lies against them but encourages that once the Ummah (Society) of Islam is frequently maligned, then it is incumbent on the Society to defend itself, hence the need for this write-up.

“The Benue Governor got it very wrong, most likely because of his malicious intent to smear the revered personality of Shehu Danfodiyo who had said in a widely-quoted statement that: ‘Truth is an open wound, only justice can heal it’.

“It should be noted that the Benue State Government, Femi Fani Kayode and many others have overtime been yelling that the Fulani crisis at their end is a continuation of Danfodiyo’s Jihad.

“To set the records straight against mischief makers, Danfodiyo’s Jihad was essentially against the unjust leadership of various Muslim States, starting with his own homeland, the Muslim Gobir Empire, not against non-Muslims. His Jihad gave hope to the people and got overwhelming acceptance from all.

“That was why some Empires submitted themselves to him even before any battle. The Jihad was also an intellectual as well as social movement, and in fact, Shehu had earlier called for reform, and it was the failure and recalcitrance of the then Muslim Rulers that made the masses to congregate around him for the Jihad to take place. Shehu Danfodiyo himself had said ‘a Society can endure in disbelief but cannot endure under an unjust leader’,” he said.

He, therefore, called on Muslims and the general public to disregard the information from the Benue State Governor and others, saying, it is false without even a figment of truth.

He also appealed to Muslims to, especially in this blessed month of Ramadan, intensify prayers for peace to return to the nation and for a hitch-free 2019 general elections as politicians are busy trying to cause crises with their unguarded utterances.

Adapted from a Daily Trust report.

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