The Abuja National Mosque Management Board has called on Nigerians, especially the Muslim faithful to disregard the campaign of calumny against the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, describing it as fake social media reports alleging that the FCT minister had approved a partial demolition of the monument.
The Board while describing the report as the handiwork of conflict merchants bent on creating religious tension in the nation and casting the minister in a bad light, said Wednesday’s visit to the minister was fruitful as he received them warmly and granted approval of their requests.
The Board, led by its Chairman, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, had visited the minister on Wednesday to seek clarification on the status of its plots, 63 and 99, in the wake of the administration’s drive to recover all ground rents debts.
At the meeting, Wike extended the three-month ultimatum to religious groups since they largely depend on freewill donations from members.
“We know the finances of religious groups, they are handicapped as they are not business people, and it is only when people come to support them.
“In such areas, we can say on religious grounds, instead of three months, we can give additional time but it is not targeted at anybody or group. Now you have come and explained, which reasonable man would not accept it. So our people should stop saying he is targeting some group or religion or ethnic group, no, it is in the interest of all of us.
“We will extend it, so we will not restrict it to three months for you, as a religious group, because there is no money as people come to support you.
And it is only when they support that you can carry out whatever you are doing”, the minister had stated.
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