Sola Ojo, Kaduna
A coalition of Northern Nigerian youth groups on Tuesday called on young people in the region to maintain peace and resist attempts to stir crisis over the alleged demolition of a mosque in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Daily Sun had reported threats against Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike over what turned out to be false rumours regarding the demolition of a mosque at Trans-Amadi in Port Port Harcourt last week, even after the issue was clarified by the state government.
Related: Rivers govt didn’t demolish any Mosque – Wike
The coalition, through its conveyner, Mohammed Sanni, hinged the development on some politicians who capitalized on the falsehood to fan the flames of ethnic, religious and regional division for self serving ends, whilst endangering the collective goodwill and peace of citizens.
According to Sanni, “the recent wild rumor of an alleged demolition of a mosque located at Trans Amadi Road, GRA, Rivers State, is not only false and misleading but intended to draw religious ire, stir political tension and widen the chasm of national division, which requires healing and bonding at this point in time.
“It should be noted that we immediately swung into action on hearing the disturbing news and have conducted an on the spot visit to the said location and our findings are very contrary to the falsehood being peddled.
“A diligent assessment of the location showed that even though structures were demolished around that area, none of such structures was or is a mosque building.
“On further interaction, with residents and the Muslim community in the area, we gathered that the said location being labelled as a mosque building belongs to an individual who was building his personal structure without government approval.
“The said fellow had gone ahead to erect a foundation on the site, ostensibly to ward off government action. He, thereafter, proceeded to unilaterally label the location as a mosque. Further findings led us to the clear revelation that the matter has been properly addressed by the relevant courts and the government was acting within the precincts of the law.
“Judging from this, rationality should only dictate that if the property owner has/had any issue of contention, the courts were and are still open to address his grievances, rather than resorting to inflaming the polity with tense religious passions.”
He continued that, “available statistics on religious tolerance clearly shows that the executive governor of River State is far ahead of others and as such his name and person should not be dragged to such issues, all in the name of painting him black before our Northern brothers and sisters.
“His policies are friendly and his administration operate an open door policy irrespective of one’s region and religion. We are aware of the plot against him and we shall enlighten our fellow youths from the Northern part of the country against such plot!
“We have also seen the gusto with which political horse traders and religious alarmists have taken the matter and have, therefore, deemed it of prime importance to address our youth throughout the North and also those resident in Port Harcourt to remain calm and maintain the peace,mas we are still in wide consultations.
“It should not be lost on everyone that the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, is a very good friend of the North and a brother to the Muslim community. Records show that he has always maintained a very cordial relationship with the Muslim community in Rivers State.
“Finally, we wish to assure our brothers from the South that they can and should go about their businesses within the Northern states peacefully and confidently as we have commenced a series of proper sensitisation of our youth,” he added.