EXCLUSIVE: Eight years after Gawat’s mysterious disappearance, Muslim scholar calls for reopening of his case

▪︎Says if a media personality could disappear without trace, the safety of ordinary citizens is not guaranteed

Renowned Islamic scholar, Prof Taofeeq Abdulazeez has called on the Nigerian police to reopen investigations into the mysterious disappearance of ace broadcaster, Alhaji Abdur Razaq Aremu Gawat, eight years ago.

Prof Taofeeq in an exclusive interview with Muslim News lamented that it is unfortunate that no one has been held responsible since the popular Muslim TV personality was declared missing in July 10, 2012.

Previous efforts by security agents to find Alhaji Gawat, who was behind the “E di de e ji sari” programme featured on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), have yielded no positive result, Muslim News investigations revealed.

The Chief Imam of the University of Abuja said the safety of ordinary citizens cannot be guaranteed if a high profile journalist of Gawat’s status could go missing for eight straight years without any trace.

According to him, “The situation is very scary. People should not just go missing like that in a country where there are security agencies with the primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of lives and properties. If a personality like Gawat could go missing for 8 years, that means, no one is safe in this country.”

Speaking further, he noted that “Our dear brother was hale and hearty. He didn’t just disappear. There was no reported case of depression or psychiatric condition. He couldn’t have jumped into the Lagoon or the Atlantic ocean, and then disappeared like that without any trace. What really happened to him? Who was or were responsible for what happened to him?”

Prof Taofeeq also called on the Muslim community to institute legal action, insisting that Alhaji Gawat’s mysterious disappearance case file should be reopened in order to bring the perpetrators to book.

“It is a high profile case. The Muslim community should not just forget it. The case could be reopened. We could contact our lawyers and see how we can take legal action. We can demand for the report of the investigation done eight years ago. We want to know the number of suspects arrested. We just need to get justice for him,” he added.

Prof Taofeeq believes that fervent prayers (dua) and spiritual activities, especially in the blessed month of Ramadan can help unearth the mysteries around his disappearance and expose the perpetrators.

He said, “Where are the pious imams and alfas in southwest, many of whom are beneficiaries of Gawat’s generosity? What about those with ‘Nonkali’? Are those ‘nonkali’ not effective anymore? Have they stopped prayers or lost hope? Do they think Allah cannot make him to be found, dead or alive? With fervent prayers, Allah, in His Kunfayakun, ‘Be and it will’, can bring him back and expose the perpetrators.”

He described Alhaji Gawat as a caller par excellence, who was best at whatever he chose to do.

According to him, “Yes, I knew him. We were quite close. He was a friend and brother. He was a Daai’ (Islamic propagator). He was also a journalist, a broadcaster. And whatever he chose to do, he did it well. I knew him to be a good person. I don’t know him to be anything apart from this.”

Speaking on the view of the Shari’a in such circumstance, the reputable scholar said he would be considered dead, and his estate can be shared among his heirs just as his wife is fit to remarry, noting however that it’s a different ball game if he returns back. Read on this HERE.

He tasked the Muslim community to take charge of the welfare of his family members and strive in investigating the circumstances that led to his mysterious disappearance, saying that every possible effort should be undertaken to prevent future occurrence.

“The Muslim community should also interface with and engage his place of work. For his family, the Muslim community should take over their welfare completely.”