From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The Nigerian Correctional Service, NCS, Kano state command, has debunked the rumours making the round that the fiery Kano-based Islamic cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara has been poisoned.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that speculations were rife on Thursday that the cleric, who had been remanded at the correctional centre on Monday, has been poisoned and bleeding in jail.
In a swift reaction, the correctional service, through its spokesman, DSC Musbahu Kofar-Nassarawa, described the report as a malicious and false.
According to him, the embattled cleric is hale and herty as he was granted request to feed himself from the food brought from his house, adding that since brought to the custody, he Mr Nasiru-Kabara had never eaten the food cooked at the correctional centre.
“Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara is accorded the awaiting trial privileged of eating food prepared for him by his family and even the water he drinks are all from his family that supply that and gives to him after inspection by the Correctional centre officers,” Kofar-Nassarawa said.
He stated that when Mr Nasiru-Kabara’s son brought food to him in the morning, he expressed displeasure about the rumour, saying “our family have been sad about this sad development which we later found out it is a lie.”
Kofar-Nassarawa attributed the rumour to a lawyer, adding that investigation had since been launched to identify him and summon him for questioning on how he got the false information of Mr Nasiru-Kabara’s illness.
Mr Kofar-Nassarawa also stated that “the only lawyer standing for Abduljabbar is Rabiu Shuiabu Abdullahi and he too has debunked the rumour,”
Mr Kofar-Nassarawa therefore called on the general public to disregard the rumour, which according to him, “is a figment of the imagination of the author.”
Recall that Mr Nasiru-Kabara is standing trial for blasphemy and incitement charges at Kano shirah court.
He had been remanded at the state correctional centre for continuation of his trial on July 28.
