Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abduljabar Nasiru Kabara, who was banned from preaching in Kano State for alleged incitement, has sued the Kano Government, the Attorney General, the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS) and the Civil Defence Corps.
Briefing newsmen through his team of lawyers headed by Barr. Rabiu Abdullahi, the embattled cleric said his fundamental rights to religion, expression, association, movement and ownership of immovable property have all been infringed by the actions taken by the Kano Government when it banned his activities in the state at the prompting of government-backed scholars who disagree with him.
Kabara, whose mode of Islamic teachings is considered incendiary by some scholars, was accused of questioning the authenticity of some prophetic sayings and even denouncing some companions of the prophet.
The Kano Government debarred the cleric and shut down all his seminaries, backing it up with a court order.
Kabara has denied any wrong doing, saying he has never preached outside the Islamic books which had been written for over 400 years ago.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has also organised a debate between Kabara and the scholars challenging him.
The debate, which is already causing divisions among adherents of Islam, is only nine days away.
The cleric’s lead counsel, Abdullahi, said the legal team has filed a motion before Justice Allagoa, the presiding judge of the Federal High Court in Kano asking the court to enforce the fundamental rights of the banned preacher.
Abdullahi said his client was placed under house arrest and his home and mosque taken over by security men who barred people from accessing the Islamic scholar.
The lawyer said they filed two motions -motion exparte and motion on notice.
“The motion exparte was to be heard today but the court directed us to serve all the respondents with the motion on notice so that it will jointly hear all our prayers and give ruling in respect of all the prayers contained in these two applications.
“In our submissions, we are seeking an order of the court allowing the applicant, Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, to exercise his right of personal liberty, right of fair hearing, freedom of movement, right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to freedom of expression and right to freedom from discrimination as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The second order we sought is the declaration of the court that the right to life, right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have been infringed by the respondent against the applicant in the manner complained of in the affidavit in support of the application.
“Thirdly, we sought the declaration of the court that any acts of intimidation, harassment, freights to arrest and detain the applicant (Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara) are in breach of his constitutional rights and such arrest and detention are unlawful” Kabara’s lawyer stated.
The Federal High Court in Kano has fixed February 18 for hearing.
