The Muslim Community in the Southern Kaduna senatorial district has lauded Senator Sunday Katung, the senator representing the district, for his inclusive empowerment programmes.
They made their position known during a press conference in Kaduna addressed by the Secretary-General, Southern Kaduna chapter of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Iliya Musa, on Friday.
The community described the lawmaker as a detribalised leader who does not discriminate against Muslims in the area.
To this end, they also dispelled the rumor making the round that the Muslim community in Southern Kaduna is not carried along.
According to the JNI leader,” Muslims have benefited immensely from Katung’s inclusive empowerment programmes. We are members of the Muslim community from Southern Kaduna under the able leadership of Alhaji Ali Fadi.
“We are addressing this press conference to tell you that we the Muslim community in Southern Kaduna, are appreciating God for giving us Senator Sunday Katung.
“We Muslims in Southern Kaduna appreciate him for carrying us along in whatever he is doing as a representative of all.
“He reaches us with his empowerment programmes, sometimes through JNI, sometimes through our Muslim politicians. He empowers people without discrimination”.
According to Musa, Muslims are beneficiaries of the senator’s palliative and other other empowerment programmes.
For instance, he said, “We are beneficiaries of his agricultural training programme after which he gave every participant N50,000.
“During the outbreak of the deadly diphtheria
disease in a Muslim community in Kafanchan in 2024, Katung, alongside other stakeholders took drastic steps to curb its spread.
He added that when ginger farmers suffered losses in 2024, Katun’s intervention helped cushion the effect of their losses.
Musa said, “As the fasting period approaches, Katung has asked the Muslim community to bring a proposal for assistance to ensure hitch-free Ramadan and Sallah periods.
“We are praying that God will continue to strengthen and protect him to achieve his goals. Criticisms against Katung are baseless.
“We are in a political era and whatever good thing you do, people will still criticise you.
“All we are saying is that majority of members of the Muslim community in Southern Kaduna are happy with the way they are being carried along by the senator in his activities.
“We are calling on those criticising the senator to, as a Muslim, fear the almighty God and always speak the truth,” he said.
Earlier, other Muslim leaders from Southern Kaduna, also commented about his populist programmes in the area dismissing the insinuations against him.
Alhaji Ali Fadi who was the leader of the entourage, Alhaji. Wada Nas, Datti Hassan, and Inuwa Yahaya unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Senator Katung and described his love and concern for the Muslims as unprecedented. According to them, the lawmaker created an office for the Muslims where he appointed a Special Adviser on Muslim Affairs.
