Kano cleric: I was banned because I worked against Ganduje’s reelection in 2019

Abduljabar Nasir-Kabara, the Islamic cleric who was banned by the Kano state government for alleged inciteful preaching, says his ban is political.

TheCable had reported that the state government ordered the immediate closure of the schools run by the cleric, pending investigations by security agencies.

Muhammad Garba, the state commissioner for information, had said the government took the decision to forestall a breach of the peace in the state.

Following the ban, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) were reportedly deployed in the cleric’s mosque and residence to ensure strict compliance with the order.

But in an interview with The PUNCH, Nasir-Kabara accused Abdullahi Ganduje, the governor, of ordering his ban because he worked against him during the 2019 elections.

The cleric said Ganduje, whom he described as unforgiving, had threatened to retaliate, adding that his ban had nothing to do with religion or any form of inciteful teaching he is accused of.

“The reasons are very obvious. The person, who took the decision (Ganduje), has said it repeatedly that he never forgives. I fought him during the last election and he promised to retaliate,” Nasir-Kabara was quoted to have said.

“Only that he is taking the wrong decision at the wrong time. So, this ban is purely political; it has nothing to do with religion or incitement.

“I have told my followers to prepare their votes ahead of the next election and do the needful. Alhamdulillah, for everything, I am fighting scholars, not the government, but at the end, government took over on their behalf.

“This decision is sheer injustice. And, whosoever wants to understand the situation should look for what the Kano state commissioner for education said last night (Wednesday) wherein he explained that the government has deliberately succumbed to the pressure of these scholars, who used their political ideologies to alter religious issues to their taste.”