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| Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina |
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state has tasked Muslim clerics in the state to intensify efforts in educating rural dwellers especially those living in the tick forest and the rural communities who might be vulnerable to recruitment into banditry or exposed to attacks.
Masari said most of the rural dwellers lack both western and Islamic knowledge, which is the main reason for the rising spate of insecurity in the state.
The Governor, who gave the charge at the two โ day seminar/ training organized by Jamaโatu Nasril Islam (JNI) for Jumaโat Imams in the state, said for someone to be hardened and threw mother and child into fire and stand to watch how they all burnt to death is inhuman and barbaric, adding that such a person is illiterate because he did not have the chance to be educated.
He further challenged Muslim Scholars to move out of the cities to the villages and educate the people on Islamic knowledge, insisting that the absence of preaching what is expected, escalates the state of insecurity and brigandage in the state
He said: โI think if our Imams and scholars live in line with the tenets of Islam, there will be no problem at all. Also the issues of educating those who live in the forest area which we have found out are illiterates both in western and Islamic education.โ
The Governor further pleaded with the organizers to take the program to local government areas, wards and villages so as to touch everybody in the society.
Earlier, the National Secretary of the JNI, Sheik Khalib Abubakar, urged the Imams to unite themselves and restore their prestige known for ages, stressing that if the Muslim Scholars will speak with one voice in line with the doctrines and teaching of Islam the state would be a peaceful place because they play a key role in ensuring peaceful coexistence in the society.
On his part, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Kabir Usman, thanked the Governor for his support and commitment in handling the security situation of the state, expressing concerns over the killing and banditry activities in the state, which according to him is the reason for the seminar so as to educate Imams for the need to unite and confront the common enemy.
He added that the training will continue until they bring sanity to the religion especially the challenges of insecurity and drug abuse in the society, urging the national body of the JNI to also extend same initiative to other states for better Nigeria.
