Sokoto cleric gets knocks for holding Eid prayer Sunday – Newstrends
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Sokoto cleric gets knocks for holding Eid prayer Sunday

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3 years ago

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Sheikh Musa Lukwa

Islamic scholars and the Muslim Rights Concern have knocked an Islamic cleric in Sokoto, Sheikh Musa Lukwa, for again defying the directive of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on moon sighting and leading his followers in Eid prayers on Sunday.

The Sultan had announced on Saturday that there was no report on the Shawwal moon sighting received from anywhere in the country by the moon sighting committee, hence the Eid-el-Fitri will hold on Monday.

But Lukwa, in his sermon on Sunday, said they have confirmed the sighting of new crescent in many places in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, adding that the new moon was sighted in many places within Sokoto State.

According to him, the moon was sighted at Fakku and Wauru in Kebbe and Gada local government areas of Sokoto respectively.

Reacting, the Chairman, MURIC Sokoto chapter, Muhammad Aliyu, in a chat with The PUNCH, said Lukwa was wrong to have defied the Sultan’s directive.

He said, “Under Sharia Law, we Muslims are expected to follow our leaders. The argument of the Sheikh is that the Sultan is more of a ceremonial leader without power. He’s saying we cannot follow him the same way Muslims used to follow Sultans in the past. Before the coming of the Europeans, Sultans had powers and supreme authority over everybody but now they are more of ceremonial leaders. That’s Sheikh’s argument but he’s very wrong because the Sultan remains the religious leader of Muslims as agreed by the majority of Islamic scholars.”

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On Sheikh Lukwa’s claim of sighting the moon, the MURIC chairman doubted him, saying naked eyes cannot make the sighting.

An Islamic scholar from Niger State, Ustaadh ‘Umar Paiko, faulted the Sheikh while quoting a portion of the Hadith to show why an individual Muslim cannot go against the directive of the Sultan.

He said, “It’s not unusual. I know a lot about Sheikh Lukwa, he disagrees with the Sultan a lot. We (majority of Islamic scholars and students) have disagreements with him concerning the way we understand the Hadith.

“There’s a portion of the Hadith which says the first day of fast is the day that everybody is fasting and the last day is the day everybody has stopped fasting, that is the Eid. The understanding of majority of scholars is that this is a reference to a leader because the unity can only be achieved on the directive of a leader.

“So, if your leader has not yet announced the sighting of the crescent moon, then it’s not the day for the beginning of the fast or its ending. So, an individual cannot go against this.”

On his part, Ustaadh Ajijolakewu from Ilorin said the Sheikh should be sanctioned so that he can learn how to relate with a ruler.

He said, “The truth is that he has disobeyed the established authority. The Prophet said the day that all Muslims break their fast is the day agreed by their ruler. So, even if you have seen the crescent moon by yourself, you cannot break your fast.

“So, what the Sheikh did was wrong according to Islam. He has to be sanctioned for some period so he can learn the basics of relating with a ruler, especially a constituted authority concerning the affairs of Muslims. My sincere advice to such a person is to desist from such act because it can cause disunity among Muslims.”

Lukwa had told journalists that a lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto confirmed that the new moon was sighted on the main campus of the university.

All efforts to speak with the representative of the Sultan, Waziri Sokoto, who is also the Chairman Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Prof Sambo Junaidu, were not successful as his telephone number was not reachable as of the time of sending this report. However, a palace source who preferred anonymity says the Sultanate council stands by the statement issued on Saturday on the result of moon sighting.

PUNCH

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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14 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

 

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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14 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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14 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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