ALLEGED YAKOWA’S ASSASSINATION PLOT: Excessive, convulsive smear campaign taken too far – JNI

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

The Jama’atul Nasir-il Islami, JNI, under His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto, says it is taken aback by the desperation of those he called disgruntled elements, who, in their desperate attempt to smear the image of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ibrahim Ali Isa Pantami, drag the name of the revered organisation as being part of an alleged plot to assassinate the late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State.

These were the words of Dr Khalid Aliyu Abubakar, Secretary General of JNI, contained in a statement issued in Kaduna and obtained by The DEFENDER on Friday and in which it said the alleged Yakowa’s assassination plot was excessive, convulsive smear campaign taken too far.

It said it had come to its notice by this allegation that there are more to the campaigns against the Islamic scholar holding forth as Minister than meet the eye, adding that what it thought to be politically motivated had surprisingly assumed to be a more sinister dimension in a well thought-out scheme designed to smear and tarnish the image both of itself and that of other Muslim organizations in the country.

The JNI said: “To start with, how could Sheikh Pantami chair a JNI meeting while he was not one of its leaders either at the National or state levels? What could have necessitated the combination of Bauchi, Plateau, Niger and Kaduna states from different geo political zones in the meeting?

“If Yakowa was vehemently hated by the Muslims and were desperately trying to ‘get rid’ of him. How did he win the 2011 elections in a Muslim dominated state of Kaduna where a Muslim-Muslim ticket recently sailed through? Who voted him in?

“The so-called pieces of minutes shared by the media to further confuse and manipulate an average Nigerian’s mind into believing this orchestrated lie has further confirmed the desperation of the perpetrators. It is very perplexing and heart-rending that minutes of an assassination plot could be written and kept. How disheartening and disgusting!

“We thought the plot against Sheikh Pantami is politically motivated, but surprisingly it is assuming to be a more sinister dimension born out of a well thought-out scheme designed to smear and tarnish the image and the good name of the JNI and other Muslim organizations,” it said.

The JNI continued, “Considering the various concerns raised by many citizens, vis’-a’- vis the attendant consequence of the scandalous allegation, we wish to place on record and for posterity that such never occurred and the JNI does not operate in such a dubious manner. We are at loss as to why is this allegation coming up just now, many years after the demise of Mr Yakowa? This should be seriously investigated.

“The JNI therefore condemned unreservedly this ill-conceived, unprofessionally prepared and cunning but futile attempt to drag its hard earned reputation in the mud. We call on the security agencies to immediately swing into action and fish out the perpetrators of this heinous act and subject them to the wrath of the law before their foot soldiers disturb the modicum of tranquility in the country. This should be treated with utmost urgency and the JNI is ready to fully cooperate with the security agencies in this regard.

“If these agents of darkness had travelled down the history lane, they would have known that they would woefully fail in their every attempt to project Islam and Muslims in bad light. This is a proven fact. Powers more ferocious, more determined, more sophisticated and more devilish than them have tried several times and failed. What makes them think that they can succeed now? It is obvious that they have utterly crashed even before they took off!

“We appreciate the many calls put through to the JNI on the matter hence we implore all Muslims to continue to maximize the blessings of this Ramadan to intensify prayers for Allah to bless Nigeria and peace loving Nigerians. We also call on all Nigerian citizens, Muslims and non-Muslims to be wary of the diabolical plan by some people to destabilize Nigeria.

“Finally, we pray to Allah to continue to elevate Islam and Muslims to greater heights, to bring peace to troubled areas, to assist Nigerian leaders at all levels and to continue to unite the Muslims under the umbrella of the ‘Kalimatush-Shahadah’. Amin,” it said.