The 84-year-old Imam of Yelwa Central Mosque, Abubakar Abdullahi, who hid about 300 Christian victims of Jos crisis away from marauding religion fanatics, thereby saving them from being killed, has said saving lives of people is what he enjoys doing most.
Imam Abdullahi has been honoured with the US International Religious Freedom Award for risking his life to save some Christians in Jos crisis in Nigedria.
The Imam said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makkah on the sideline of the 2019 Hajj Pre-Arafat meeting with Stakeholders on Friday.
The event was organised by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to acquaint the public on its preparedness to ensure successful 2019 Hajj.
Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, award-winning cleric, who risked his life to save the lives of more than 300 Christian victims of Jos crisis in Nigeria, speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makkah on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019
” It has always been my cardinal principle to save lives, no matter who is involved, Christian or Muslim. Life to me is so precious to be wasted,” he said.
The Imam of Yelwa central mosque, who hails from Akyomi village, Bauchi state and has 18 children and three wives, however, called on Nigerians to eschew violence and tolerate one another, irrespective of religious and ethnic differences.
The cleric, who is also a farmer, however, called on Nigerians to intensify prayer for God’s intervention in the various challenges confronting the country.
Abdullahi thanked Buhari for honouring him with the membership of the Ulama team and prayed to God to give him much wisdom to pilot the affairs of the nation to the yearning and aspiration of Nigerians.
The acting chairman, NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, who commended the cleric for the show of love, said President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered that Abdullahi be included in the membership of the National Ulama committee.
NAN reports that the international award-winning religious leader is among 80 others charged with the responsibility of enlightening Nigerian pilgrims in Muna.
PM NEWS
