Bauchi govt warns religious leaders on inciting statements

The Bauchi State government has warned religious leaders against making inciting statements in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ibrahim Kashim, issued the warning while briefing journalists about the outcome of the state security committee meeting held on Monday in Bauchi.

He said the government would deal with any preacher making statements capable of causing division among the people of the state.

The SSG said: “As you are aware, we are just coming out of a very rigorous electioneering period and elections and a lot of things have been happening after the elections that need a lot of serious security measures.

“There has been some noise and some back and forth about issues relating to preaching and understanding of the context of the preaching and the heat it has generated.

“We are concerned because it is not the issue of Aqidah (creed), not the issue of politics but just the issue of inciting statements that are bound to cause division between our people.

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“We have met, discussed it and we have resolved that Bauchi is a very peaceful place, and we will do everything within our power to make sure that it remains peaceful.

“We are not going to allow anybody’s actions or utterances to disrupt the peace that we have been enjoying in the state.”

Kashim, who is also the Chairman of the state’s Security Committee, added that the state government would not shirk its responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the people.

“We are not going to allow anybody henceforth to insult anybody or insult the faith of anybody or other people with regards to their faith,” he added.

Also speaking, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Aminu Alhassan, said that efforts were on to check activities capable of disrupting peaceful coexistence in the state.

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