By Oluwakemi Kindness
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (retd.), has called for the arrest and investigation of Islamic clerics Sani Jingir and Ahmad Gumi over comments he said could inflame Nigeria’s security challenges.
Irabor also backed the police invitation of Senator Francis Fadahunsi over an alleged statement calling on his supporters to kill members of the Accord Party and their relatives ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, the former defence chief said security agencies must act swiftly against individuals whose public statements have the potential to incite violence.
He said authorities should investigate such comments and arrest those found to have violated the law, stressing that nobody should be above accountability.
Irabor specifically faulted recent remarks attributed to Sheikh Sani Jingir, who urged Muslims to deploy their voting strength during the presidential election and ensure their votes reflected their numerical strength.
He said Jingir should be arrested if the comments were found to be inciting, adding that some of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s previous remarks also warranted police action.
On Senator Fadahunsi, Irabor said the police acted appropriately by inviting the lawmaker for questioning following the circulation of a viral video containing the alleged remarks.
Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, has since claimed that his comment was edited and taken out of context.
Irabor, however, maintained that authorities must take firm action against inflammatory rhetoric, saying enforcement of the law would help protect public peace and boost the morale of Nigeria’s security personnel.
