First Lady Remi Tinubu has brushed off a recent death threat from an Islamic cleric, declaring that at over 60 years of age, she is too seasoned to be afraid of death.
Her remarks came during a visit to Bauchi State on Tuesday, a few days after the cleric Idris Tenshi described her as an “infidel” who should be killed.
In a sermon delivered in Hausa, Tenshi had said, “Tinubu’s wife is an unbeliever and even among the unbelievers, she is a leader.”
The inflammatory comments sparked outrage, with the cleric later apologising to the first lady.
However, Mrs. Tinubu showed she would not be cowed by the threats while speaking in Bauchi.
She said, “I want to thank the Bauchi State governor for assuring me that I am safe, but I want to say that I am too old to be afraid.
“If God has granted me more than 60 years on earth, I shouldn’t be afraid of death. I thank God that you encouraged me to come and I want to say that Nigeria belongs to all of us. This is the time for us to unite more than ever before.”
Her defiant stance was praised by Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, who condemned the cleric’s “national embarrassment” of threatening the first lady.
Governor Mohammed vowed that the cleric would face punishment and apologised to Mrs Tinubu on behalf of the state.
“I am particularly disappointed and frustrated that the death threats came from someone from Bauchi State.
“Your life is more important to us than our own lives. Nothing will happen to you,” Mohammed said.
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