BY TINA AKANNAM

Dutse—Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Thursday, expressed concern that some people in the North had turned Islamic religion into a profit-making venture, noting that business and religion are two different things that cannot be mixed .

The governor spoke in Dutse at the swearing-in of the new Grand Khadi, Muhammed Inuwa Ali.

He expressed bitterness that some adherents were behaving as if Islam came into the country in the last 10 years of democracy when it was not so.

He said: “It is funny that some people are making Islam look as if it was introduced into the country in the last 10 years of democratic dispensation when some sections in the country started introducing Sharia, which was turned into an international debate.”

Lamido further lamented that Islamic faith has been turned into a platform for arguments between clerics who are supposed to be the custodian of the religion.

He noted that, if there were drug-addicts, thieves, or those who commit adultery among other negative vices, religious leaders should carry most of the blame because such vices were signs of their failure to inculcate the noble teachings of Islam into the mind of the youths who are victims of the vices.

’’In Islam, nobody is above the law, it does not matter the person’s status politically or otherwise.

‘’Therefore, in Islamic religion, a leader does not have immunity, if you act contrary to Islam and if you are guilty; you are guilty,” he said.

Lamido then charged Islamic clerics to guide and advice leaders positively no matter the circumstances, as according to him, human being as leaders also have their short-comings.

He advised Muslims to rise up to defend Islam like their counterparts of other religions who have been championing the cause of their religion, stressing that Muslims should fear God and go back to Him so that they can get his blessings.

In Jigawa state we stand up for Islam, we continue to defend Islam, and we shall die for Islam”, Lamido stressed.

He however, advised the new Grand Khadi to do everything humanly possible to defend the cause of Islam, explaining that he had the support of his government in achieving the best result.

Responding, Alhaji Ali promised to uphold justice in all his endeavours, by discharging his responsibilities without fear or favour.