By Lucky Uto, Ughelli
In defiance of a lockdown imposed in Delta State and ban on gathering in churches and mosques, Muslims in their hundreds trooped to the Central Mosque at Ekakpamre, a community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Friday for prayers.
The State is in a complete lockdown ordered by the governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa four weeks ago to curb the spread the Coronavirus.
The Imam in charge of the community mosque, Alhaji Muhammadu Young Okotie, stated that he deliberately defied the lockdown order to hold public prayer on Friday because he wanted to send a message to the world, especially at “this time in point that we needed the Almighty intervention”.
ExpressDay gathered that when the information of the lockdown breach got to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Otu-Jeremi Divisional Police Headquarters, he mobilized his men to the mosque at Ekakpamre where he met Muslims in their hundreds worshipping.
Attempt by the DPO and his men to enforce the lockdown order was allegedly resisted by the Imam, Muhammadu Okotie who was said to have threatened the DPO and his men with a knife.
A video of the incident circulating on social media appears to show two men with rifles, alleged to be soldiers, guarding the worshippers.
Imam Okotie confirmed defying the order, saying he did it to pass a message of marginalization of Muslims in Ughelli South Local Government Area to the world.
He, however, denied allegations of threatening the Otu-Jeremi DPO with a knife and military men been around to support his actions.
“Those saying I threatened the DPO with a knife are haters of Islam”, he said.
According to him, “when the government asked everybody to stay at home for 14 days, we obeyed but at the end when palliatives were sent to the local government area by the state government, Muslims in the local government area didn’t benefit because it was only Christian clergies that were appointed to share the items.
“So I deliberately opened the mosque for members to worship today (Friday 24 April 2020) to draw the attention of the world that we are hungry. And since they refused to give us foodstuffs sent by the state government, we have no option than to cry to our God for help through the Friday worship.
“We are all members of the local government area, so we have the right to benefit equally. But when you constitute a committee with only Christian clergies as heads, they will only represent the interest of their religion. As an Imam in-charge of the council area, I am supposed to be part of the committee to represent the interest of Muslims.
“If it is to make peace during the Fulani herdsmen attack and elections, I will be called upon by those in authority, so today, I have been able to draw the attention of the world through worship.
When contacted, at the time of filing this report, the PPRO, Delta State Police Command, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said she had not been briefed of the incident but promised to get back to our correspondent.
