The Jami’ur Rahman Mosque, formerly known as Masjid Sahaba, has suspended Sheikh Muhammad Bin Uthman from leading prayers and delivering sermons following his controversial remarks during a sermon on January 24, in Kano State.
Mr Uthman, who served as the mosque’s Imam for 24 years, had been overseeing prayers at the old site of the mosque, which is located just a few metres from the new site officially allocated to renowned oil marketer AY Maikifi.
The new site was originally a green area where Muslim worshippers gathered for Friday and Eid prayers, led from the old mosque. After the allocation by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Mr Maikifi reportedly met with Sheikh Bin Uthman and reached an agreement to merge the administration of the old mosque into the new one.
However, during his contentious sermon, Mr Uthman claimed he had been “short-changed” and sidelined in the management of the mosque’s affairs. He lamented that the mosque’s trust had appointed three additional Imams but had not made him the leader.
The sermon sparked outrage among congregants, with tensions escalating to the point where some worshippers almost attacked the secretary of the mosque’s board of trustees, Abdulkadir Isawa.
In response, the mosque management, in a letter signed by its Director of Administration, suspended Sheikh Bin Uthman indefinitely and instructed him to return all mosque property in his possession.
The suspension letter read in part:
“Kindly refer to the ugly incident that followed your conduct and utterances at the Juma’at Khudba of yesterday, the 24th day of January 2025.
“In the course of your Khudba, you made some derogatory remarks regarding the establishment and the conduct of affairs of this mosque, which consequently resulted in a chaotic situation after the Juma’at prayer.
“Consequently, I am directed by the leadership of the Trust, as custodians and managers of the affairs of this mosque, to convey the Trust’s approval to suspend you as Imam pending the outcome of an investigation. A committee shall be set up by the Trust to review and analyse all video and audio recordings as well as gather oral testimonies from persons who witnessed your Khudba and the resultant chaos and near mob action that followed that incident.
“By this letter, you are directed to hand over all properties belonging to the mosque in your possession to the undersigned and you are advised to stay away from the premises or vicinity of the mosque pending this investigation.”
Meanwhile, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Kano Council of Ulama have intervened in the matter, summoning both Sheikh Bin Uthman and the mosque’s new overseer, Mr Maikifi.
Sources revealed that the SSS cautioned Sheikh Bin Uthman against delivering sermons that could incite violence or lead to unrest within the mosque.
Additionally, the Council of Ulama advised Sheikh Bin Uthman to relocate to his former mosque. However, it remains uncertain whether he will accept this recommendation.
