Date Published: 07/21/10

ATT: Sokoto IZALA Disclaimer on Clash story

Press statement of Izala Group

]20th July, 2010

Salam,

Our attention was drawn to your story in Daily Trust of Wednesday, July 21, in page 2 title ‘Shiite, Sunni clash leaves 4 injured in Sokoto’ the story ought to be ‘Shiite, area boys clash…..’, because no sensible person from the Sunni followers of Sokoto will engaged or attack those Shiites as they were doing their rally. The attackers according to all available information from the eye witness around the areas are not Sunnis, they are more less sponsored thugs of the state government who for long are hiding under Sunni’s name to maimed and killed innocent victims with the name of religion. 

Hiding under Islam, the world peaceful religion on earth, or Sunni’s name to attack any innocent soul is Islamically prohibited and we thereby condemn both the sponsors and Sokoto state Government for continue using our good image and name to link us with this barbaric acts of attacks on the Shitte followers.

Both the Wamakko’s government and Shiittes are the same group formenting trouble against the peaceful people of Sokoto state with different name and got their supports from some disgruntled called Ulamas who have mortgaged their religious conscience for government patronage.

Our majority of the Sunnis in Sokoto always leave in peace with all other religious followers as according to the doctrine and teaching of our beloved Prophet Muhammadu (SAW), we are not trouble makers or fighters against Shiites, we only distance ourself from their beliefs and never engaged follow Muslims to bloody violence or sponsoring their attacks. It is more a political fight of survival between the two parties of Sokoto state, by using religion in the middle, to get sympathy and mislead people of our state.

Islam abhorred such kind of treatments against fellow Muslims in the name of political gains, if we are to fight, Islam have set all the guidelines and rule needed for such engagement, not o political differences or worldly gains.

Our religious and moral obligation against those groups is to preach and enlighten our people of the state about the dangers of their teachings not through violence or attack. Kindly count us out of these mess created by the cohorts of government and politicians of Sokoto state, who see us as their bridge to religiously mislead people. Kindly correct this error. Thanks

Signed

Shiek Umar Mode Mahe

Chairman 'Sokoto Ahlal-Sunnah Group’