‘To be linked with Boko Haram is worse than death’
Popular Islamic scholar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hajj Monsur Consolidated Travels Limited, Amir Qamardeen Ajala has petitioned the Department of State Security (DSS) over some snide remarks made in defamation of his person by a social media preacher, AbdulWasiu Atayese (Jakmal).
Amir Ajala made this known at a press briefing held in Lagos, calling on the security agency to arrest and prosecute Jakmal for false allegations against his personality and some other Muslim scholars from the southwest region of the country.
Muslim News findings revealed that the preacher, Atayese of Ile Ajia in Ilorin, Kwara State had alleged in a widely broadcast social media video that Sheikh Ajala alongside other eminent scholars are the architects of terrorism, adding that they are members of the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Some of the scholars he allegedly linked with the terrorist group are Sheikh Qamardeen Yunus, Sheikh Abdulmajeed Eleha, Professor Abdurrazaq Alaro, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Kutubi, Sheikh Abdulfatai Sarumi, among others.
Reacting, Sheikh Ajala, who anchors Wole Ola, a popular Yoruba islamic programme on TV, distanced himself and the accused scholars from the terrorist group, noting that their ideology does not in any way align with it.
Read full press statement below
In The Name Of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship and adoration except Allah. May Allah shower His unlimited blessings and peace upon the noblest of mankind, our teacher, our mentor, our leader, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) his household, his companions and the generality of those who trail their path.
Gentlemen of the press, I sincerely welcome you all to this Press Briefing. I am Amir Qamardeen Ajala
Recently, a video lecture was aired on social media by one Abdul Wasiu Atayese Jakmal of Ile Ajia in Ilorin, Kwara State. In the course of his lecture delivered in the Yoruba language, this individual could be heard severely castigating some scholars of repute in the Muslim world. He erroneously pointed at these scholars for being the architect of global terrorism and associated them with the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria. As if that was not bad enough, he fraudulently created a nexus between the Boko Haram group and some Islamic scholars in the Southwest of the country. He specifically mentioned Sheikh Qamardeen Yunus, Sheikh Abdulmajeed Eleha, Professor Abdurrazaq Alaro, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Kutubi, Sheikh Abdulfatai Sarumi, my humble self and some other scholars as members of the dreaded Boko Haram.
Gentleman men of the press, if this is not the height of unwarranted provocation, I wonder what else is. It is a calculated attempt to denigrate and soil my person and those of others mentioned above. This unguarded and misguided pronouncement of his will NOT be allowed to slide. This will be vigorously challenged, inshaa Allah, by every instrument of the law.
Gentleman of the press, I wish to state categorically that I have no dealings whatsoever with the MANIAC group call Boko Haram at any point in time. I am not one of them and will never be one. There is no reason for any association with them until they renounce their violent ideology again state and law of the country take it course in their matter. I as well as all the above-listed scholars have always and will continue to warn the youth about the warped ideologies of the Boko Haram.
Gentleman of the press, it is public knowledge that the Boko Haram stares their members away from what they consider Western Education while I, on the other hand, never had issues with Western education. In fact, I am also an advocate of Girl -Child education. Therefor, these allegations by Abdul Wasiu are unfounded, baseless and complete balderdash. It doesn’t worth any one’s time. But for the avoidance of doubt, the social media contains a litany of my public lectures, my radio and TV shows, and teachings at different fora, on various topics. Violence against the state or the people, regardless of their faith, isn’t one of them. But the present situation looks more like an attempt to eliminate real or imagine adversary, by spurious allegations. It is an attempt to give a dog a bad name, and then have the justification to kill it. Nigeria is no Banana Republic, it’s a country of law and order. For this reason, people must be held accountable for their actions and inactions as it affects others. It is in light of this, that I inform you, of a petition submitted by some affected party to the Office of the DSS at Shangisha. We demanded arrest, investigation and possible prosecution AbdulWasiu over the spurious allegations.
Gentleman of the press, the past few days have been such a trial for me and my family personally and I hope I speak the mind of affected scholars too. Following the emergence of this video lecture online, I have been inundated with calls and visitations by my friends, admirers and students alike, from all over the world. To be linked with Boko Haram is worse than death for me, but I will not let it slide. I follow the mainstream of Islam as shared by millions and millions of Muslims across the globe. It’s really sad that a Muslim you consider a fellow brother could trumped-up allegations again you. I therefore, in the interest of Justice, call on the security agencies to invite Abdul Wasiu Atoyese Jakmal to substantiate his claims of my membership of the criminal group, to avoid the breakdown of law and order.
While I hope the security agencies are at the top of this matter, I implore all Muslims who feel pained by this unfortunate and deliberate act of character assassination to remain calm and eschew actions capable of jeopardising our relative peace. I urge you to continue to be the ambassador of peace you have always been, even in the face of provocation. This is our collective legacy from the noble prophet Muhammad. Our country at present is tensed, let not aggravate the situation any further. I hope the DSS will commence an immediate investigation about this matter if they have not already. Justice delayed is justice denied.
I am believer in the rule of law and its tenets. I also have confidence in the security agencies to handle the work at hand, but if after 14 days and nothing substantial is there to show after this press briefing, we shall be left with no option other than to seek redress in the court of law.
I join many Nigerians to pray for this country so as to come out strong from all its challenges.
I sincerely thank you for listening and hope that this press briefing will be given wide coverage.
Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
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Quite unfortunate!