Preach in public, risk DSS arrest, Zulum warns clerics

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has ordered the DSS to arrest any cleric preaching in public spaces and inciting the public against each other.

The governor, made the disclosure while addressing stakeholders at the interactive meeting on the security situation of the state arising from the sudden surrender of hundreds of Boko Haram insurgents at the Government House on Sunday in Maiduguri.

“One very important thing I want to discuss here is the issue of preaching in the state. If care is not taken, this will become a serious issue because I heard different preachers have started abusing each other.

“I heard they are abusing each other in their preaching. I have ordered the DSS to arrest all of them in the state. The Preaching Service Board has been given all the powers to regulate their activities.

“We shall never allow anybody to come into the state and begin to say things anyhow, be it Christian or Muslim. This is very important. The CAN should write to us, the Jama’atu Nasri Islam should also write to the Borno State Government and the Preaching Service Board with a view to creating access for them to preach. This is very important,” Zulum noted.

The governor stated that the latest security situation Borno had found herself as regards the surrender of Boko Haram insurgents to the military necessitated convening of a meeting, adding that all recommendations made would be implemented.

(The PUNCH)