Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque, Nuru Khalid, has been sacked for delivering a sermon that criticised the government over killings in Nigeria.

The Imam was earlier suspended by the Steering Committee of the mosque on Saturday.

But the chairman of the mosque committee, Saidu Dansadau, announced on Monday that Khalid’s suspension had been upgraded to sack.

He said that Khalid was sacked for not being remorseful despite his suspension as the Imam of the mosque.

This is despite the public outcry that Khalid should be reinstated.

Khalid had, in his sermon, lambasted the government for its inability to effectively tackle the country’s security situation.

He had also called on the electorate not to vote for any politician who cannot guarantee the safety of lives and properties.

In the statement confirming Khalid’s suspension, the mosque committee said the sanction was due to his call for Muslims not to vote unless questions had been answered.

The committee also described the cleric’s stand as “un-Islamic”.

Part of Khalid’s sack letter obtained by our correspondent read, “We regret to inform you that from today, April 4, 2022, you have been disengaged from the services of the mosque. This action is occasioned by the non-remorseful attitude you exhibited following your suspension on April 2.

“Akamakallah, you know better than me by the teaching of Islam, the essence of administering punishment is to correct behavior. Unfortunately, your media reaction to the suspension creates the impression that you are not remorseful, NOT to talk of humbly reflecting on the consequences of your utterances.

“Leadership demands a great sense of responsibility. If our words do more harm than good to the larger interest of the country or the public, we have a responsibility to maximize restraint for the good of the public. It is obvious, however, that you don’t seem keen to modify your Friday sermon to be reflective of the volatility of the security situation in the country.

“You are an influencer; your words carry a lot of weight, and your words can make or mar our situation. Your words can be taken advantage of by mischief makers, those responsible for these security challenges or enemies of the country for their devilish agendas. As leaders of the mosque, we have a sacred responsibility to avoid utterances that are capable of making a bad situation worse. This is our fear and concern.”

Punch