The Kano State Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Dr Muhammad Nazifi Bichi has said that the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested two people, Baffa Hotoro and Habib Haroun, over alleged blasphemous statements they uttered against the personality of Noble Prophet Muhammad. (PBUH).
According to Dr.Bichi, who confirmed it on Saturday while speaking with pressmen said, the arrest was against the backdrop of a series of petitions written to the ministry by different religious bodies, NGOs and Individuals residing in the State.
He disclosed that the arrested persons are currently in security custody, undergoing interrogation over the alleged defamation they have committed.
He added that the Kano State government has ordered for the discreet investigation to be carried out as part of the processes to prosecute them before the Court of law.
Dr.Bichi then cautioned the public as well as religious leaders against unguided utterances, noting that making derogatory statements against Islamic religion will attract calamity from Almighty God.
He said, “It is blasphemy to make any derogatory statement against Prophet of Islam. It is not good while making sermon or preaching to go outside the teaching and principles of Islam,”
He assured that Kano State Government will not relent until the duo are punished according to the provisions of Islamic Penal Code Law.
He stressed that Kano State Government will soon establish Law to screen and guide public preaching, lamenting that the cases of blasphemy are worrisome.
The duo were alleged to have made a blasphemous commentary on social media in which they expressed their total support and strongly aligned themselves to a religious leader in Bauchi over what he said to the Prophet of Islam while making his preaching.