- Naik in Nigeria at the invitation of Sultan of Sokoto
Nigerians have reacted in anger at the antics of a visiting Indian Islamic preacher, Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, who ignited controversy when he called Nigerian Air Force (NAF), ‘Muslim Airforce.’
In another group photograph with some Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) personnel, he called them ‘Muslim Immigration.”
He personally promoted his “Nigeria Tour” as “Lecture Tour to Nigeria after 10 years on the invitation of Sultan Sa’ad AbuBakar the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria.” He will speak to Muslim faithful in Abuja, Sokoto and Ilorin.
Fifty-eight-year-old Zakir Naik, who fled India in 2016 amid charges of spreading hatred and money laundering, is living in Malaysia where he has been given permanent resident status by the Malaysian government.
He posted his controversial comments and pictures of NAF and Immigration personnel on X, formerly Twitter, during his arrival to Nigeria through Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja.
Nigerians who reacted on X accused him of inciting hatred and division in Nigeria with his posts.
Some of Naik’s posts include the following:
“Interaction with Muslim Airforce. Group Captain Abbas Hashim Military Airport Commander Abuja airport, Abuja, Nigeria.”
“Interaction with Muslim Airforce. Nigerian Airforce at the Abuja airport, Abuja, Nigeria.”
“Interaction with Muslim Immigration. Nigerian Immigration at Abuja airport, Abuja, Nigeria.”
He even tagged his picture with Sultan of Sokoto as “Interaction With Heads of State.”
But Nigerian reacted angrily to his posts with Dee@Nithsmit asking: “Why will there be Muslim and Christian Air Force in same country? That’s bad for democracy, there shouldn’t be religion in our military.”
Otunba GCFRN@beninghone: “Take your fanaticism away…. We don’t have Muslim airforce dude! They are Nigerian airforce…”
Engr. Stanley@Engr_Stanley_EC: “Muslim Airforce with @NigAirForce uniform? What’s going on here?”
Dr. Ikenna Uwanuakwa@ikeuwanuakwa noted: “I dislike individuals running around spreading disunity in the name of religion. Dr. Zakir is fully aware that these people are part of the Nigerian Air Force, not a nonexisting Muslim Air Force. They may be Muslim individuals serving in the Nigerian Air Force, but that does not make it a Muslim Air Force. He should take his ideology elsewhere. We are Nigerians before we are Christians, Muslims, or adherents of traditional beliefs.”
That Naija Guy™@IamThatNaijaGuy stated: “I never knew we now have a Muslim airforce and Christian airforce in Nigeria. Nigeria is dying one institution at a time before our own very eyes. This is happening before over 200m people failed to take action. How can we continue like this?”
TeeTalk@obajemujnr asks: “So we have factions in the air force, something needs to enlighten us for knowledge sake.”
Zakir Naik was booked by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) after his name cropped up during the probe of a terror attack on Gulshan’s Holey Artisan Bakery (cafe) in Dhaka’s posh diplomatic area, claimed by the Islamic State terror group.
Twenty people, mostly foreigners, were killed in the brutal late-night attack on July 1, 2016 after the attackers took diners and restaurant staff hostage.
The same year, India’s counterterrorism agency filed a complaint against Naik, accusing him of promoting religious hatred and other unlawful activities. On November 17, 2016, his group, the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) was declared an unlawful organisation under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), accused of allegedly promoting enmity between groups on the basis of religion and race.
In defending himself, Naik said he has never told anyone to resort to terrorism.
“Have they (the arrested persons) said that I told them to do the bombing? The answer is no. I challenge anyone to say that he was inspired (by me) to kill innocent people. If he is saying that then he is lying,” he said when asked about the attackers in Dhaka, Sri Lanka and now a Kerala youth, arrested for planning terror attack, taking his name.
On the allegations of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate, Naik said he has one bank account.
“I have several companies and I am actually doing business. Is there a restriction in Indian law that a person cannot own companies? People have 50 companies and sometimes there are no transactions in some,” he said.
Naik said they are also alleging that he sent money into his personal account.
“Now all that money I sent into my account was Rs 49 crore in seven years. I told you my earning is more than a crore a month and I have got a lot of businesses in real estate and other ventures.
“It will be a crime if I use some of the money for drugs or terrorism. They said Harmony Media is a factory of terrorism. If it is promoting terrorism then how come the US allowed my channel for so many years,” he asked.
The Islamic preacher has said he is ready to return to India if the Supreme Court gives him an assurance that he would not be arrested till his conviction.
He also said that the Indian NIA can question him in Malaysia, if they want.