A religious group in Taraba, under the umbrella of the Kuteb Muslim Development Association (KMDA), on Sunday described the alleged planned demolition of the Takum Central Mosque by the Taraba State Government as an affront to the traditional worship history of the Kuteb Muslims.
Alhaji Bako Mairiga, the association’s chairman, stated during a media briefing in Jalingo that the planned action regarding the Takum Central Mosque is an invitation to disunity among religious groups.
The group expressed that a town like Takum, which has witnessed a series of unrest, does not require ideas that may throw the local government into another form of violence and disunity.
They called on Governor Agbu Kefas to take action and ensure that the planned demolition is not executed.
“The Ukwe Ahmadu, being a Muslim, saw the need to build the Takum Central Mosque in 1912, next to the Palace of Ukwe Takum, to enable him and other Muslims in Takum to worship there.
“As a peace-loving group, we view the idea of demolishing the central mosque along with the Ukwe Takum palace as an attempt to bring disunity among religious groups.
“We wish to debunk the claim made by the Chamba Muslim Youth that the Kuteb in Takum once demolished a mosque and killed worshippers. We call on all Muslims and the general public to disregard this report, as it is targeted at blackmailing the good name of the Kuteb people.”
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The KMDA chairman also lamented the insincerity on the part of the Taraba State Government, where officials have provided inconsistent defenses regarding the planned demolition of the central mosque.
“There is a contradiction concerning the proposed demolition of the Central Mosque and Ukwe Palace, as depicted by the Special Adviser to Governor Kefas on Islamic Affairs and the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Reorientation.
“Both the Special Adviser and the Commissioner contradicted each other while responding to KYN’s allegations about the planned actions regarding the central mosque and the Ukwe Takum palace. The Special Adviser claimed that the planned demolition is aimed at promoting the development and welfare of Muslims in Takum and beyond, asserting that the initiative was welcomed by the Muslim community. In contrast, the Honourable Commissioner for Information denied that the government has any plans to demolish these facilities.
“These two contradictory statements need to be questioned by concerned individuals to safeguard the future of the Muslim community in the area,” the group condemned.
