The leadership of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Jos faction, has suspended a prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Alkali Abubakar Salihu Zaria, following remarks he made while criticising Nigeria’s political leadership, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The suspension reportedly came after the cleric delivered a sermon during a Ramadan Qur’anic exegesis (Tafsir) session at Mokas Mosque in Damaturu, where he openly condemned the rising wave of insecurity in northern Nigeria and accused political leaders of failing to address the crisis.
According to reports, the decision to suspend Sheikh Alkali followed a meeting convened by the National Chairman of the JIBWIS Council of Ulama, Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir. The meeting involved the cleric as well as state and local representatives of the organisation in Yobe State.
During the Ramadan session, Sheikh Alkali reportedly criticised government officials, particularly governors in the North-West region, accusing them of failing to curb the growing activities of kidnappers and bandits.
He lamented the worsening security situation in the region, stating that citizens were increasingly being abducted and subjected to inhumane treatment by criminals while political leaders appeared unable to halt the violence.
The cleric also expressed concern about what he described as a growing culture of fearing powerful political figures instead of God, warning that such tendencies could have serious consequences for society.
His remarks, which included sharp criticism of President Tinubu and the political establishment, were said to have triggered concerns among the leadership of the Islamic organisation, who believed the statements were inconsistent with the group’s established approach to religious preaching and public commentary.
Following the development, Sheikh Alkali confirmed that he had accepted the organisation’s decision in good faith.
In a message shared on his social media page, the cleric described the JIBWIS leader, Sheikh Jingir, as both a religious authority and a father figure, urging his followers and associates to remain calm and disciplined.
He encouraged his supporters to accept the situation as part of divine destiny, adding that the number of days allotted to him by God to lead the Ramadan Tafsir in Damaturu had already been determined.
The incident has sparked conversations within religious and political circles about the role of clerics in addressing national issues and the boundaries between religious preaching and political commentary in Nigeria.
