Tension is mounting among the Hausa community in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State as the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Akewusola has fled the cleric apartment built for him close to the mosque.
It was gathered that trouble started when one Alhaji Razak Suleiman said to be a landlord wanted back the land on which the mosque is built and had declared the mosque for sale.
Suleiman is said to be among the five landlords from Ogun State who donated the land of the mosque to Rivers State Muslims.
After signing for the donation of the land to Muslims in the year 2000, Suleiman reportedly waited for the demise of his father who was the real owner of the donated land before attempting to reclaim it.
A worshipper, Alhaji Addullahi said recently, Suleiman chased the chief imam from the cleric apartment built by Muslims for chief imam and rented the apartment to strangers.
“When the tenants noticed that the apartment was Islamically built for the cleric, they voluntarily packed out even when their rent has not expired.
“The apartment is still empty as the chief imam for fear of his life doesn’t want to pack into the cleric apartment built for only chief imam” he said.
When contacted, the embattled chief imam, Alhaji Akewusola said Suleiman vowed not to see him within and around the mosque.
“Suleiman chased me out of the cleric apartment and has vowed to cut off my legs if I come to the compound of the mosque,” the chief Imam said.
He further said a committee has been set up by Muslim leaders to resolve the issue, yet, Suleiman does not want peace to reign until he sells the mosque and reclaims the land which is not possible.
Efforts to reach Suleiman over the allegations has not been successful.
