Group seeks Monguno’s intervention over Ebira chief imamship tussle

A group under the aegis of Righteous On-Lookers Association, has appealed to the National Security Adviser, Maj.- Gen  Babagana Monguno (rtd) to prevail on Kogi state government to put in place procedures for the appointment of a substantive Chief Imam of Ebira Central Mosque  in order to avoid recurring crisis rocking the mosque  over imamship tussle.

The appeal is contained in a letter addressed to the Office of the National Security Adviser and signed by the patron of the association, Alhaji Ahmed Adoke, a  copies of which were made available to newsmen in Okene, Sunday.

Adoke lamented that the yet to be resolved imamship crisis has pitched two Islamic groups; the Tijaniya and Ansarul Islamic Society of Nigeria in the area against each other as a result of disagreement on the mode of ascension to the position of Chief Imam of the Central Juma’at Mosque in Okene, Kogi state.

According to him, “Our concern is that instead of addressing the mode of ascension that has generated palpable tension/crisis, Kogi state government waded in and appointed one of the contenders as acting Chief Imam for an indefinite period, thus giving the appointee an undue advantage over other contenders, a situation that seems to have generated more tension in the land.”

He pointed out that part of the consequences of Kogi state government’s action was the recent violent clash between supporters of the two Islamic groups, putting the area in an unnecessary apprehension.

While calling on the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to as a matter of urgency do the needful to avoid further crisis that could snowball into massive killing and destruction  of  property, Adoke cautioned that religious crisis could be more dangerous than political crisis if urgent steps were not taken.