Ganduje Organises Debate for Controversial Islamic Preacher, AbdulJabbar, Other Scholars

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has accepted to facilitate a dialogue between AbdulJabbar Sheikh Nasiru Kabara, and other Islamic scholars.

The decision was announced at the end of a special meeting with Islamic clerics from all Muslim sects, as a response to Kabara’s call for justice.

A statement issued yesterday by Ganduje’s spokesperson, Abba Anwar, and made available to THISDAY in Kano said the governor has also accepted that the dialogue should be aired live in all radio stations, both local and foreign.

The governor urged the people to remain calm and peaceful before, during and after the dialogue.

The statement said the meeting was attended by many prominent scholars from all Islamic sects, with the state Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Tahar Adam; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Ali Haruna Makoda, and former gubernatorial candidate in the state, Salihu Sagir Takai, among others.

After the meeting, resolutions were reached and agreed upon by the governor that all sects of Muslims would be represented at the dialogue, while some prominent scholars would also be invited from outside the state to witness the dialogue.

It said the state government would provide a venue for the dialogue and the necessary security for the overall safety of the exercise, before, during and after.

Those to be involved in the dialogue from all Muslim sects were given two weeks to prepare their points of argument/dialogue to engage Kabara in the much waited dialogue.

Kano State Government has debarred an Islamic cleric, Kabara, from preaching in the state due to his mode of teachings, which it considered too incendiary.

Kabara came into the limelight due to his controversial interpretation of some prophetic sayings ‘hadith’ to the extent of questioning their authenticity and denouncing some prophet’s companions.

Also, the Magistrate Court at Gidan Murtala in the state has ordered the immediate closure of Kabara’s mosque and Islamic centre located at Filin Mushe in Gwale Local Government Area of the state.

The order issued by the Presiding Magistrate, Muhammad Jibrin, last Thursday which was obtained by THISDAY also directed the cleric to stop all preaching activities and unguarded utterances calculated to breach peace in Kano State pending the outcome of investigation being conducted by the police and other security agencies.