Respected Islamic scholar and leader of the Jama’atu Izalatu Bidi’ah wa Ikamatus Sunnah, Nigeria’s prominent Salafi movement, spearheaded a delegation of Nigerian Islamic scholars to Niger Republic.
Their mission is to mediate and restore tranquillity in the troubled West African nation.
Following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, the cleric’s delegation received the president’s consent to engage and liaise with their Nigerien counterparts.
A source familiar with the situation who spoke with The Punch disclosed that the group was scheduled to land in Niger on Saturday.
Upon their arrival, images indicated that the Nigerien military officers welcomed the delegation on Saturday afternoon.
Further steps the delegation intends to take remain undisclosed.
The clerics, opposing a potential war with Niger’s military as hinted by ECOWAS, emphasize the religious mandate, backed by the Quran, urging mediation before considering armed conflict.
After discussing with President Tinubu, Sheikh Lau of the Izalla group, alongside Sheikh Abdurahman Ahmad of Ansar ud Deen and other sect leaders, expressed their intentions to journalists.
