Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State has ordered closure of Ikare Central mosque over lingering leadership tussle.
Last week, the Ikare Muslim Council sacked Chief Imam of the Mosque, Sheikh Abubakar Muhammed Abbas, after its meeting on October 9, 2022.
But the League of Imams and Alfas in the State rejected the sack.of Sheikh Abbas.
However, Abbas led last Friday jumat service under heavy security.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, announced closure of the mosque at a briefing after the State Executive Council meeting.
Ademola-Olateju said the closure of the Ikare Central Mosque was among some far-reaching decisions on important issues in the state
The Information Commissioner said the council approved that students in both public and private schools would now wear traditional attires to schools on Fridays.
She said all buildings that trespassed on the state government owned land would be demolished.
According to her: “We made some decisions on law and order within the state. We know there are disturbances around the Central Mosque in Ikare-Akoko. The council decided that the Ikare Mosque should be closed down with immediate effect.
“There would be no prayer offered in that mosque until there is resolution to the issue and the government would be inviting the parties involved in the dispute as well as the league of Imams to resolve the issue at stake.
“The Ondo State Government has permitted public servants and students in both private and public schools in the state to wear native attires to office and schools on Fridays to promote culture and traditions.
“Those who trespassed in various locations on government land, their structures would be demolished completely. If you have anything on government land, go and remove them now.
“And those that are writing petitions claiming to be the owners of government land, the government will not tolerate that. So, the council has said those writing petitions to challenge ownership of government land, it won’t be tolerated by the government.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
