An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has described the politicians who hired private jets to attend the wedding of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf in Kano as “bandits.”
The Kano Internatıonal Aırport was a behive of activities over the weekend as several top dignitaries in the country arrived in the city with private jets, out of which some were reportedly hired.
The cleric condemned the hiring of private jets by some politicians to attend Yusuf Buhari’s wedding to his bride, Zahra, Friday.
Gumi while preaching at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna, noted that people are facing all manners of problems, yet politicians spent public funds on private jets.
“Umar bn Kattab once took 16 dinar, which is equivalent to N2,040,000 today, from the treasury as estacode to Hajj. After their return, Umar admitted to Abdallah that they wasted public funds.
“Somebody told me private jets in Nigeria were all hired for the wedding of Buhari’s son. With your money, you can’t get a private jet because they were all booked.
“Some people are in captivity in both the bush and cities. Hunger is everywhere. People are facing all manner of problems, yet politicians spent public funds on private jets.
“When Prophet Mohammed married off his daughter, who came from Mecca or Yemen? In the entire Medina no righteous persons to oversee the solemnisation?
“First it was not an obligatory religious gathering. Umar bn Kattab went to Hajj. Second, public funds were taken to hire the private jets.
The controversial cleric added that: “our leaders milk us dry and not only those people in the bush (bandits).
“Some religious leaders cannot survive without behaving in a servile manner towards politicians.
“Politicians have spoilt the clerics. Atrocities are committed in the country but no one can speak up.”
Gumi added that the money that should have been used to cater for the people was what they used in hiring private jets to junket around.
“You are spending money to hire jets to go to the wedding, while criminals are holding people to ransom in the bush. The criminals (bandits) are milking the people.
“Some people have never earned N1million in their life, but bandits would demand N10million. How many people sold their houses, farms, everything… and collected loans to pay a ransom?
“People think only those in the bush (bandits) milk us dry, no! Even our leaders milk us dry. Where did they get the money to hire all these jets?
“In one of the states, some pictures of a dilapidated hospital were sent to me. The roof was blown off and a patient was lying on the bed. That governor is in Kano to attend the wedding.
“How many schools were rehabilitated? The money that should be used to cater for the people is the one they hire private jets to junket around. Are you not also a bandit?
“We vent our anger against ourselves, other tribes. People are left killing themselves because of poor leadership,” Gumi added.
