The leadership of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) has suspended Sheikh Alkali Abubakar Salihu Zaria from delivering the 1447AH/2026 Ramadan Tafsir at Mokas Mosque in Damaturu, Yobe State, citing security concerns linked to his recent comments on insecurity in northern Nigeria.
Sheikh Alkali Abubakar, who was deployed from the organisation’s national headquarters in Jos as part of a 35-year tradition of assigning clerics to lead Ramadan exegesis across the country, had completed 11 days of Tafsir before he was suspended on the 12th day of Ramadan.
The action reportedly followed a series of sermons and public admonitions he delivered in Yobe State, including a Friday lecture at the State Police Headquarters and a dawn sermon at Alimarami Mosque. Particular concern was raised over a Friday night Tafsir session at Mokas Mosque, during which he allegedly mentioned certain individuals by name and employed strong language while addressing insecurity in the region — a style said to be inconsistent with the organisation’s established methodology.
On the 14th day of Ramadan, the National Chairman of the JIBWIS Council of Ulama, Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir, convened a meeting with the cleric alongside state and local representatives of the group in Yobe. After deliberations, the leadership concluded that allowing him to continue the Tafsir in Damaturu would not be in the best interest of the community and subsequently withdrew his posting.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Sheikh Alkali Abubakar accepted the decision, describing it as an act of obedience and submission to the will of Allah. He acknowledged his mistake, apologised to the organisation’s leadership and the wider Muslim community, and urged members to remain disciplined and loyal to their leaders.
