Former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode has called for the immediate deportation of Zakir Naik, a contentious Islamic preacher, sparking a wave of controversy and concern over religious tolerance and national unity.
Fani-Kayode vehemently denounced Naik’s presence in Nigeria, labelling the preacher as a divisive figure aiming to sow discord and religious tension within the country.
The former minister accused Naik of possessing an evil and extremist agenda, urging the government to take swift action by deporting him and barring any future entry into Nigeria.
Naik, known for his controversial speeches and teachings, has faced accusations of spreading inflammatory ideologies and has been banned from entering several countries due to alleged connections with extremist views.
Naik, an Indian Islamic public orator who focuses on comparative religion, had referred to the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigeria Immigration Service as ‘ Air Force and Immigration Muslims.’
He also referred to the Sultan of Sokoto as the ‘Head of State’
Fani-Kayode said:
”Calling our Air Force and Immigration Service Muslim ones is a serious provocation and deep insult to our Christian Air Force and Immigration officers, to the 120 million-strong Christian community in our country & to the collective sensibilities of the Nigerian people & it is dangerous & divisive.
”Zakir’s presence in Nigeria offers nothing but a bad stench.
”How he managed to get a visa to come here in spite of his antecedents & despite the fact that he has been banned from entering America, Europe and other parts of the civilised world for being a fanatical Islamist, a dangerous subversive, a proselytising Jihadist, a blood-lusting terrorist, a relentless extremist and a deeply divisive, corrosive & malevolent figure beats me.”
why should the sultan of sokoto, Nigeria air force and immigration gave audience to this kind of controversial Islamic cleric all the way from India?