By Milcah Tanimu

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has clarified that the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna is not exclusively designated for Sheikh Ahmed Gumi’s lineage but is meant for the broader Muslim community under the organization’s control. Yusuf Bida, the Administrative Secretary of JNI, addressed this matter during a press briefing in Kaduna on Monday, responding to a social media write-up regarding the appointment of a deputy for Sheikh Gumi.

The write-up, allegedly authored by one of Sheikh Gumi’s disciples, emphasized that the newly appointed deputy at the mosque did not adhere to Gumi’s school of thought. It also claimed that individuals unrelated to the mosque or the teachings of the late Sheikh Abubakar Gumi were responsible for the appointment.

Yusuf Bida clarified that the write-up aimed to incite discord and create chaos in the mosque, which has enjoyed a long period of peace and tranquility. Bida further explained that the appointment of imams and deputies at the mosque follows a process involving applications from interested candidates and subsequent examinations conducted by the JNI. The best candidates, based on the examinations, are then appointed to roles such as imam or deputy in the mosque.

Bida stressed that Sheikh Ahmed Gumi himself emerged through this process to become the current imam of the mosque. He urged people, especially Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s students worldwide, who may have been disturbed by the false information circulating on social media, to remain calm and disregard the unfounded claims.