By Onome Oghenetega
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been exonerated over the controversy trailing the alleged demolition of a mosque at the Trans-Amadi area of Port Harcourt.
The Coalition of Northern Youth Groups on Tuesday exonerated the governor saying that no mosque was destroyed in the state by the Rivers State government.
The coalition said it came to the conclusion after thoroughly investigating the incident which was already creating religious clashes across the country.
Briefing newsmen at a press conference in Kaduna, Convener of the group, Mohammed Sani, noted that the only properties demolished in the area were illegal structures.
Sani blamed the allegation against Governor Wike on those he described as political merchants who were working to cause political tension and disaffection among Nigerians.
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He said, “Coalition of Northern Youth Groups has observed with patriotic disenchantment the worrisome trend of some politicians capitalising on falsehood to fan the furnace of ethnic, religious or regional division just for self-serving and fiendish gains while endangering the collective goodwill and peace.
“The recent wild rumour of an alleged demolition of a mosque located at Trans Amadi Road, GRA, Rivers State is not only false and misleading but intended to draw religious ire, stir political tension and widen the chasm of national division, which rather requires healing and bonding at this point in time.
“It should be noted that we immediately swung into action on hearing the disturbing news and have conducted an on-the-spot visit to the said location and our findings are very contrary to the falsehood being peddled.”
Giving insight into its investigation, Sani stated, “A diligent assessment of the location showed that even though structures were demolished around that area, none of such structures was or is a mosque building.
“On further interaction with residents and the Muslim community in the area, we gathered that the said location being labelled as a mosque building belongs to an individual who was building his personal structure without government approval.
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“The said fellow had gone ahead to erect a foundation on the site ostensibly to wade off government action, he thereafter proceeded to unilaterally label the location as a mosque.
“Further findings led us to the clear revelation that the matter has been properly addressed by the relevant Courts and the government was acting within the precincts of the law.
“Judging from this, rationality should only dictate that if the property owner has/had any issue of contention, the courts were and are still open to address his grievances rather than resorting to inflaming the polity with tense religious passions.”
