‘It is our collective responsibility to protect Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’ – Prof. Salisu Shehu

With the ongoing discussions on Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara saga, Professor Salisu Shehu spoke to The Daily Reality (TDR) on why religious conflicts are pervasive in northern Nigeria.

‘The fact is our state governments are primarily responsible for this. They allow everybody to do what they like. If a state government can muster the necessary political will to exercise the necessary political authority to curtail these things, things like these must not be happening. The governments should be proactive; they should not act when issues are already or on the verge of going out of hand. Besides government, other factors include widespread ignorance and poverty. These and other factors are the facts we cannot dismiss.’

TDR asked Prof. Shehu to comment on the call to sensitise and regulate religious preaching. The call gain prominence since the devastation caused by Boko Haram religious organisation in North-East.

‘I believe something around that should be done by the respective state governments. People like these [Sheikh Abduljabbar and co.] should not be allowed to be saying whatever they want. Freedom of speech does not mean saying whatever you want to say, true or false; whether it could bring confusion in the society, create disaffection and cause bloodshed and so on. For me, the regulations should not be unilateral. The state government cannot just come out and hand down some rules and regulations without consultations. You know, there has to be a wide range of consultation with stakeholders, primarily the preachers and scholars. So, based on mutual understanding, something should be done,’ said Prof. Shehu.

Concerning the dialogue Kano State government organised after receiving series of complaints from religious scholars and other concerned citizens on the manner Sheikh Abduljabbar was preaching, Prof. reacts thus:

‘Actually, one of the reasons why the government organised this dialogue was because it wanted to bring peace. It wanted to avoid the situation that may degenerate into violence in Kano State. So now it is left for the government to take the necessary steps to ensure that this thing does not continue. It must take measures to ensure that this blasphemy against the person of the Prophet (S.A.W) stops. And whatever it takes, the governor should do that. Because it is collective interest to protect the honour, the nobility and the great position of the Prophet (S.A.W).’