Family members of a Zaria-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Khalifa Sani Abdulkadir, have cried out over the disappearance of the cleric.
Sheikh Abdulkadir, one of leaders of Fityanul Islam, a Tijaniyya sect in Zaria and across Kaduna State, has been away for 25 days after he went to Abuja following the alleged blockade of his bank account.
The scholar’s wife, Hajiya Ramatu Khalifa Sani Abdulkadir, told the with RFI International, that her husband left home early in the morning after informing her that he was travelling to Abuja to resolve issues related to his bank account.
She said “he knocked on my door in the morning. I told him I was praying. He gave me money for household expenses and said he was going to Abuja and, God willing, would return the same day.
“From that day up till now I have not heard his voice again. Whenever I call his line, it is switched off. Today makes it 25 days since I last heard from him.
“I am alone at home with the children. I am under serious tension. I feel dizzy, and I cannot sleep. I try to be strong so that the children will not panic, but we are extremely worried,” she said, adding that the family was to later told that her husband was allegedly involve with about N2m.
According to her, “It was said that his account was blocked and that he had to go to Abuja for it to be reopened. Later, we were told it had something to do with about N2m.”
The scholar’s son, Sunusi Khalifa Sani Abdulkadir, who accompanied his father to Abuja, said “after his account was blocked, he asked for the reason and was told it was the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and that the account could only be reopened if he went to their office.
“After questioning the sheikh, they said there was N2m that had been sent to him, which they were investigating. He explained that someone linked him to another man who asked for prayers concerning personal life issues, and that he carried out what was requested.”
Sanusi said the commission later said the matter related to a military case, adding that “they said my father had agreed to return the money. The soldiers said they would come and question him, and since that day, for 25 days now, we have not seen him.
“Within these 25 days, they gave him a number and he called to say he was fine. But we still don’t know why he was arrested, where he is or what condition he is in.”
Sunusi said the family was unaware of their father’s arrest in relations to allegations circulating that the scholar was arrested for allegedly receiving money to pray for people planning a coup.
“We don’t know anything about that because nobody informed us, and the authorities have not said anything like that to us,” Sanusi said.
The family appealed to the authorities to either release the scholar or at least disclose his whereabouts.
