THE Police in Port Harcourt on Monday said that the alleged demolishing of mosques trending on Twitter is ‘not entirely true’ and that Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, did not declare the rich oil state solely Christian .
“That report is not too correct, in the sense that it wasn’t the complete mosque that was destroyed.”
Following reports on the removal of the Muslim place of worship in Trans Amadi quarters of the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area(LGA), Twitter was abuzz, with allegations that Wike had declared the state a Christian state.
However, Omoni Nnamdi, the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, speaking to The ICIR, said that the police cannot comment on the matter as it would be prejudicial to a court case since judgment is yet to be delivered in the matter. However, Nnamdi did confirm that the mosque was demolished in part but “not entirely”.
“That matter is in court, and they are seeking redress in court. It would be prejudice when we continue to comment on matters that are already in court. So the matter is in court incur the wrath of the court by going on air to devour the court of competent division.”
The oil-rich state over the years has witnessed internal ethnic disputes arising from perceived exclusion in the process of resource distribution.
However, the current situation is considered by many commentators as an attack on the freedom of association and religion.
Checks by The ICIR showed that @Gimba Kakanda–was among the people who with large followers that tweeted about the demolition: “Why did Governor, Wike demolish this mosque in Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt? I am asking this question because, in spite of our history of intolerance, places of worship hardly feature in our politics of hate. We are descending into a new low and it’s sad,” he tweeted.
Kakanda, however, deleted the tweet after an update stating “ I have been informed that the structure of the mosque had not been erected as reported and that there is no incident of demolition at all. Unless anyone has a counter to this, I think we should all let it slide”.
This, nevertheless, elicited mixed reactions among tweeters. While some condemned the development as that which may fuel unrest in the society, others disbursed the information as false.
#FakeNews has ruined lives, incited communal clashes, religious wars & destroyed nations. We shouldn't encourage it here in Rivers State or Nigeria.
The news of Gov. Wike demolishing a Mosque in Trans-Amadi, Port-Harcourt is fake & misleading
NO MOSQUE WAS DEMOLISHED in PH.
— Port Harcourt People (@AskPHPeople) August 26, 2019
Wike demolished a mosque everywhere is quiet, Deji is not protesting, FFK is not fueling tribal comment, Aisha Yesufu is not making mockery of Wike, Sega is not distinguishing it. But if it was @elrufai who tried demolishing a church in Kaduna, You all would have been convulsing
— ADEBOWALE A ADEBAMBO (@Adebambo_A) August 25, 2019
The ICIR could not reach, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Assistant on Electronic Media to the Rivers State governor because he did not answer his call.