2023 Elections: Political criminals storm Gombe mosque, attack a Muslim cleric by telling students and supporters to vote only for honest people

A Muslim cleric, Malam Aliyu Muhammadu Tukur, described how the alleged political criminals attacked him inside a mosque in the Akko Local Government Area of ​​Gombe State.

Speaking about his plight to the Daily Trust, Malam Tukur said he was conducting a Tafsir at a Muslim house near his home two weeks ago when criminals broke in and attacked him for allegedly talking about the 2023 general election.

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The 42-year-old scholar, who teaches and preaches in the city of Kumo, said he was lucky the attackers, who were determined to take his life, did not succeed but left him badly injured.

He said his “case” was a speech he made during the closing of Ramadan Tafsir at his mosque, in which he asked his students and other supporters to vote for the right people to have a positive impact on their lives.

“During the closing of the Ramadan Tafsir in the Islamic temple, I commented on the forthcoming elections, in which I stated that my students and other supporters would vote only for politicians who were able and willing to bring about the development that our communities desired,” he explained.

“After Salallah, we resumed our Tafsir before Ramadan. So, on May 11, at 8:00 pm, just minutes after the Tafsir session, we heard voices asking where I was actually sitting.

“Before we knew it, criminals, about five in number, broke into a mosque and poured gasoline on me. One of them threw an explosive device and set fire to parts of my hands, my chair, copies of the Qur’an and carpets in the Muslim area, including my students, who were also injured. ”

According to the father of five, he knew some of the attackers who were local residents and supporters of one who wanted a seat in the legislature, said he had no problem with them and did not know why he was being targeted. .

While urging the government to sit down and resolve the issue of youth violence in the province, he added that the youth and others who cause problems and hurt innocent civilians should not be allowed to go unpunished.

Confirming the incident, State Police spokesman ASP Mahid Muazu Abubakar said two suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.