Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has inaugurated the State’s Preaching and Pilgrims Welfare Boards (BPWB) to set “preaching standards and welfares of pilgrims” during the annual hajj exercises in Saudi Arabia.
The two boards were inaugurated on Thursday at the Government House, Maiduguri,
Shettima said that by setting preaching standards among the Muslim communities, suspicious preaching and un-Islamic teachings, could prevent the return of Boko Haram to the state and the North-East of the country.
He said that the uncoordinated and free for all Islamic teachings had freely enabled Boko Haram insurgents to resurface severally, despite their defeats by the military and other security agencies in Borno, Yobe and Kano states.
“The historic inauguration of the Borno State Peaching Board (BSPB), led by Ibrahim Ahmad Laisu, will not only “regulate and monitor” Islamic preaching among scholars and Imams, but prevent the propagation of wrong Islamic ideologies to our youths,” said Shettima.
He said that since 2002 to date, the Boko Haram insurgents have severally struck, and returned in 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2013 with massive destruction of lives and property in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Kano states.
He charged the board members to adhere strictly to the Islamic tenants of preaching, so that wrong ideologies are not propagated to Muslim communities.
On roles and importance of BPWB, Shettima said: “In recognition of the board and is members, during hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia, the Pilgrims Welfare Board Office Complex on Kano road, has been named after Alhaji Tijanni El-Miskin immediately.”
Responding, chairman of BSPB, Imam Laisu assured the governor and the people of Borno that the boar will not let the governor down.
“We are going to regularly monitor preaching on Islam that will prevent the propagation of wrong ideologies to the Muslim communities.
“Every Imam or scholar will be monitored, until the correct and true teachings of Islam are imparted to our people in Borno state,” said Laisu on the tasks before the board.
