Muslims suspend Jummat service over threat to demolish mosques

By Rotimi Ojomoyela
Ado-Ekiti

As a way of protesting Governor Ayodele Fayose’s proposed demolition of mosques built inside petrol stations in Ekiti State, Muslims clerics have agreed to suspend Friday Jummat prayer at the affected NIPCO filling station.
The mosque marked for demolition was situated inside a filling station, located in Adebayo Area of Ado Ekiti, was marked for demolition by government officials, on Monday.

The mosque marked for demolition was built and donated to Muslim community by a petroleum dealer, Alhaji Suleman Akinbami and the Secretary of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
Defending the proposed government’s policy, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Tae Otitoju, had said worshippers could contract cancer from the radioactive emission from the petrol station.
The development had made Muslim faithful in the state capital to take to the streets on Tuesday in protest.

In a statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state Coordinator of National Council for Muslim Youths, Tajudeen Ahmed, a lawyer, said the clerics agreed to suspend the prayer at a meeting held yesterday.
“The President-General, League of Imams and Alfas of South West Nigeria, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Sheikh Jamiu Keulere Bello, has directed that the forthcoming Jummat service of 07/04/17 be suspended at the Adebayo Mosque situated at Akinbami petrol station, Adebayo, Ado-Ekiti.

“The President-General came to the conclusion after a meeting with the leadership of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Ekiti state, Alhaji Yakubu Sanni, and the Coordinator of NACOMYO in the state, Barrister Tajudeen Ahmed.
“The President-General directed Muslim worshipers at Adebayo Mosque to bear with the directive of the leaders and reach out to other available mosques in the state headquarter to observe the Jummat prayer.
“While urging Muslims to always tow the path of peaceful co-existence as enjoined by Allah; the President-General assured the Ummah that the Governor of Ekiti state is a listening leader that will listen to the plight of the Muslims.”

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