Samuel Ugbor, Abakaliki

The Vice President and Chairman of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (South-East Zone), Sheilk Haroun Ajah, on Thursday, faulted Governor David Umahi’s appointment of some persons into the recently constituted State’s Community Policing Advisory Committee, saying it was done without recourse to his office and knowledge.

According to the Islamic teacher, the alleged act, constituted impersonation and false usurpation of his office.

The Federal Government recently approved a template for the constitution of two committees into the Nigeria Police Force, whose membership should be drawn from  religious bodies, among others.

However, findings by dfcnews.com were suggestive that the Governor allegedly by-passed the template when he nominated the Chairman of Ebonyi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Engr. Abbas Egwu and a certain Mrs Aisha Isa Nnachi, into the committee, as members.

It was further observed, that the appointments were purported to have validly emanated from the NSCIA, required by law to nominate members into the said committee.

Copy of a petition, wherein the Islamic scholar protested the alleged infrations, which was obtained by our Correspondent, was earlier sent to the Governor by Counsel to the complainant, R. C. Ekeokeh (Esq).

The petition read, “We call on the Chief Executive of the State, to allow objectivism and patvriotism to rule his sense of judgment to mitigate or forestall a would-be outbreak of hostilities, possible breach of peace as well as the grave failure in the good spirit of brotherliness among neighbours who are all residents of the same Ebonyi State as well as Moslem brothers and sisters.

“It is our client’s instruction that, the leadership of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and the President-General, our client through this medium protest the names on the list representing the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in the Ebonyi State Community Policing Advisory Committee (SCPAC) No. 7 bearing, “Engr. Abbas Egwu representing Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs”,  and Ebonyi State Community Policing Committee, (SCPC) No. 5 bearing, “Mrs Nnachi Aisha Isa representing the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs”, (NSCIA) on Thursday, being 13th August, 2020.

“It is also our client’s instruction that, the said Engr. Abbas Egwu and Mrs. Nnachi Aisha Isa did not in any way vehemently opposed nor protested that, they cannot represent the NSCIA with the rationale that they are not recognized, nominated nor appointed by the Nigeria Supreme Council  for Islamic Affairs, (NSCIA) to represent them neither at the Federal nor State level in anything concerning the Affairs of the NSCIA.

“These above averments by virtue of the protest of our client can be justifiably calculated by God and nature to be a gross breach of socio-religious protocol and as such, could be taken and treated as conspiracy, manipulation, impersonation, imposition and false usurping of another person’s reckoned religious office.

The Islamic leader, in an interview, in Abakaliki, on Thurday, alleged the accused persons and their accomplices had repeatedly failed to honour Police invitation, on the matter.

When contacted on the matter, the principal accused person, Engr. Abbass Egwu, debunked the allegations leveled against him by Dr. Ajah, pointing out that as a Muslim, he was eminently qualified to be appointed into the said Police committee, going by the provisions of the law.

Egwu said, “He (Ajah) was once the Chairman of the Ebonyi State Pilgrims Welfare Board and a member of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and was in charge. I am the current chairman of the Board and if I am appointed to serve in that police committee, it is my right under the law.

“I had an interview with the CP alongside with him (Ajah) and the CP told him that it is the Governor that has the powers to appoint members of his committee. The law says any Muslim can be appointed and it is all at the discretion of the Governor.”

Picture: Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State