Brave Dickson
Tension has continued to mount at the Oyigbo Central Mosque in Rivers State to the extent, the Chief Imam of the mosque, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Akewusola has fled the cleric apartment built for him around the mosque.
Trouble started when Alhaji Razak Suleiman wanted the land on which the mosque was built and had declared the mosque for sale.
Suleiman is among the five landlords from Ogun State who donated the land of the mosque to Rivers State Muslims.
After signing his signature for the donation of the land to Muslims in the year 2000, Suleiman waited for the demise of his father who happened to be the real owner of the donated land before coming out now to reclaim it.
A witness, Alhaji Addullahi said recently, Suleiman chased the chief imam from the cleric apartment built by Muslims for chief imam and rented the apartment to outsiders.
“When the tenants noticed that the apartment was Islamically built for the cleric, they voluntarily packed out even when their rent has not expired.
“The apartment is still empty as the chief imam for fear of his life doesn’t want to pack into the cleric apartment built for only chief imam.
When called on phone for comment, the embattled chief imam, Alhaji Akewusola told our correspondent that Suleiman vowed not to see him within and around the mosque.
“Suleiman chased me out of the cleric apartment and has vowed to cut off my legs if I come to the compound of the mosque,” the chief Imam said.
He further said a committee has been set up by Muslim leaders to resolve the issue, yet, Suleiman does not want peace to reign until he sells the mosque and reclaims the land which is not possible.
Though all efforts to hear from Suleiman over the allegations leveled against him had not been successful.
