Buhari orders military to surrender Obalende Eid prayer ground to Muslims

President Muhammad Buhari has directed the military to surrender the control of Obalende Eid Prayer Ground to the Lagos Jama’atul Muslimeen Council of the Lagos Central Mosque.

A statement issued on Sunday by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said in giving approval to the report of a Special Committee he set up to investigate and report to him the issues in conflict between the Lagos Muslim Community on one hand and Federal Government Agencies, particularly those stationed at the Dodan Barracks concerning the management and control of the land, President Buhari directed all those government agencies to “recognize and respect the fact that the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground legally belongs to the Jama’atul Muslimeen Council of the Lagos Central Mosque.”

The outgoing President directed that the “desecration of the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground by its profane use as a dump site should stop with immediate effect” and to this effect, the Dodan Barracks authorities should remove all containers and debris from the prayer ground.

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The President also directed that the Dodan Barracks authorities “ensure that the Muslim Communities and their agents have unrestricted access to the Obalende Eid Prayer Ground at all times.”

According to the statement, he advised the Government of Lagos State to, “if deemed fit, (to) grant the Jama’atal Muslimeen Council a Certificate of Occupancy over the area identified in the Survey Plan.”

The statement recalled that the Committee that carried out the assignment as directed by the President under the leadership of Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, included the Minister of Works and Housing, the Minister of Defence, the Director-General of the DSS and the Chief of Defence Staff and the Permanent Secretary, State House.