The Borno State Government on Thursday inaugurated an Islamic Preaching Board with the responsibility of regulating preaching in order to prevent future incitement of religious faithfuls.
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| Governor Kashim Shettima |
The state is recovering from years of insurgency which has been linked to unguarded Islamic preaching by the Boko Haram sect.
Governor Kashim Shettima who inaugurated the Islamic Preaching Board and the Pilgrims Welfare Board at the Government House, Maiduguri said that the establishment of the board became imperative to avoid repeat of the Boko Haram insurgency.
He said: “In 2003 Taliban came out in Kanama and were defeated by the military, they re-grouped and attacked Bama and Gwoza in 2004 they were defeated, re-grouped and attacked Panshekara in 2007, re-grouped and came out in 2009 and were also defeated by the military they re-grouped again in 2013 and 2014 and sacked many local government.
“We must seek a permanent solution, hence the need to establish the board to curb the spreading of misguided ideology in the state.”
He said the government will also establish Tsagaya Regulatory Board to regulate the proliferation of Tsangaya school and teaching in the state, adding that the influx of Almajiris need to be regulated to check extremists ideology.
Shettima urged the chairman and members of the committee to make sure those with violence ideology did not spread them in the name of preaching.
On the Pilgrims Welfare Board, the governor called on the members of the board to work closely with the Amirul Hajj Committee to ensure hitch free 2016 hajj exercise.
The Islamic Preaching Board is to be headed by the Chief Imam of Borno, Imam Laisu Ibrahim Ahmed, while Sheik Mohammdu Mustapha, Sheik Arabi Abdul Fatahi, Sheik Ali Mustapha, and Sheik Ibrahim Mustapha are among members.
The Pilgrims Board has Imam Ali Gapchiya as chairman, with Alhaji Bako Gurantee, Sheik Abubakar Kyari and others as members.
The state commissioner for Religious Affairs , Alhaji Mustapha Fanarambe thanked the governor for constituting the two committees. He stressed that the constitution of the boards showed the government was determined to ensure peace in the state.
Imam Mohammed Ali Gapchiya commended the state government for inaugurating the committees. He called on the governor to establish a Council of Ulamas to serve as a spiritual link between the state government and the Ulamas.
He assured the the government and people of Borno that they will do their best to ensure that they justify the confidence reposed on them.
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