*Sheikh Khalid *
Suspended Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque, Shiekh Nuru Khalid, has now been sacked.
Sheikh Khalid, popularly known as ‘Digital Imam’ was suspended on Saturday by the Steering Committee for delivering a sermon that criticised the government over killings in Nigeria.
The chairman of the mosque committee, Senator Saidu Dansadau, announced in a statement on Monday that suspension had been upgraded to sack, saying the Imam had not shown remorse.
The sack letter reads: “We regret to inform you that from today, April 4, 2022, you have been disengaged from the services of the mosque. This action is occasioned by the non-remorseful attitude you exhibited following your suspension on April 2.
“Akamakallah, you know better than me by the teaching of Islam, the essence of administering punishment is to correct behavior. Unfortunately, your media reaction to the suspension creates the impression that you are not remorseful, NOT to talk of humbly reflecting on the consequences of your utterances.
“Leadership demands a great sense of responsibility. If our words do more harm than good to the larger interest of the country or the public. We have a responsibility to maximize restraint for the good of the public. It is obvious, however, that you don’t seem keen to modify your Friday sermon to be reflective of the volatility of the security situation in the country.
“You are an influencer; your words carry a lot of weight, and your words can make or mar our situation. Your words can be taken advantage of by mischief makers, those responsible for these security challenges or enemies of the country for their devilish agendas. As leaders of the mosque, we have a sacred responsibility to avoid utterances that are capable of making a bad situation worse. This is our fear and concern.”
