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The Taraba State chapter of the Forums of Islamic Preachers has expressed their dismay regarding a recent video featuring a well-known Islamic cleric who made allegations about the endangered state of Muslims in Taraba.

During a press briefing held on Monday in Jalingo, the state capital, the forum raised concerns over the video and called on the cleric to retract his statement and offer a public apology to the people of Taraba.

The cleric, identified as Sheikh Mansu Sokoto, supposedly made the controversial comment in a video titled “Islam will be endangered if Taraba, Nasarawa fall to non-Muslim governors,” wherein he expressed his worry over the ongoing legal disputes surrounding the governorship positions in certain states.

This inflammatory statement by the cleric comes at a time when the governorship tussles of Taraba and Nasarawa states in the northern region of Nigeria are being deliberated in court.

Despite this, the forum encouraged the people of Taraba, especially followers of Islam, to disregard the video and continue to coexist peacefully with their Christian counterparts.

The forum emphasized that all Christian governors who have governed the state thus far have treated Muslims fairly.

Mallam Useni Ismail, the chairman of the forum, refuted the claim that Muslims in Taraba State are endangered. He labeled Sokoto’s speech as “baseless,” highlighting that Islam is thriving in Taraba.

Mallam Ismail further stated, “Over 800 mosques have been constructed by past and current administrations in the state. Christian governors have consistently sponsored numerous Muslim faithful to the Holy Land in Saudi Arabia. Recently, our present governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, who is a Christian, ordered the immediate renovation of the government house mosque.”

He urged the Muslim community in Taraba to distance themselves from any cleric who takes pleasure in sowing seeds of discord among the followers of the two major religions in the state.