The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide yesterday said the recent inflammatory statements by Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi against the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike, and the Christian community is a treasonous offence.
The apex socio-cultural organization of Ndigbo further called on the federal government to arrest and trail Sheikh Gumi, noting that Nigeria cannot afford to condone or tolerate individuals who incite violence and perpetuate hatred.
This was contained in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and was made available to Journalists in Abakiliki.
Sheikh Gumi had on Thursday in his 14-minute video sermon posted on his official Facebook page, said it is dangerous to entrust Nigeria’s security to the hands of Christians and Nigerians from the Southern region of the nation.
The controversial Islamic clergyman had also in his sermon labelled the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 'Satanic' for receiving the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria in his office when the nation (Israel) is allegedly being accused of having committed a war crime against the nation Palestine in the ongoing Israeli-Gaza war which broke out last Saturday.
Isiguzoro: "Nigeria cannot afford to condone or tolerate individuals who incite violence and perpetuate hatred in our society.
"We, therefore, demand his arrest and prosecution owing to the reason that his provocative statements pose a grave threat to social cohesion and security of the nation.
"There is nothing wrong in preventing the true source of insecurity in Abuja as sorted by the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.
"Also, Gumi's outrageous labelling of Minister Wike as "Satanic and Devilish" for his tireless efforts to bring an end to the insecurity challenges in FCT, demonstrates that Sheikh Gumi should be regarded as an enemy of the state.
"And we categorically denounce this divisive rhetoric, it's treasonous offences which undermined the principles of religious freedom and inclusivity that our great nation stands for.
"Nigeria is a multicultural society where every citizen, regardless of their religious affiliation, deserves equal rights and opportunities," he stated. END//.
