Kebbi State Ministry of Religious Affairs says it has disbursed N160 million in cash and grains worth N10 million as Zakat to vulnerable persons across the state.
The Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Arc. Sani Aliyu, disclosed this on Monday during an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Ministry of Information and Culture, Bola Tinubu Ultra-Modern State Secretariat, Birnin Kebbi.
Aliyu said the briefing was to showcase the achievements and successes recorded by the Kauran Gwandu administration in the ministry over the last three years.
He explained that both the cash and grains were distributed to vulnerable members of the society in line with the provisions of the Holy Qur’an.
On economic empowerment, Aliyu said the ministry supported small-scale business owners with N500,000 under its Productive Zakat Programme.
The commissioner recalled that prior to the emergence of the present administration, there had been repeated calls for the establishment of a Ministry of Religious Affairs, but the agitations yielded no result.
“However, when Kauran Gwandu assumed office, he demonstrated wisdom and political will by actualising the dream. Specifically, the ministry was established on Aug. 18, 2023,” he said.
According to him, the governor’s vision in creating the ministry was to ensure the smooth management of religious affairs, provide a level playing field for all religions, tackle moral decadence, and build a morally upright society.
Clarifying misconceptions about Sharia, the commissioner said: “Sharia is meant to protect everyone’s rights, dignity, and reputation.
“It is not designed to hurt or deprive anyone of their rights, but to promote decency, morality, and a sound society.
“Sharia is intended to curb moral decadence and encourage people to live in accordance with religious teachings.”
He commended Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, for establishing the ministry and providing it with the necessary support and cooperation to succeed.
Aliyu noted that the people of Kebbi State had agitated for the creation of the ministry for over 30 years, and that the agitation was finally fulfilled under the current administration.
“We are most grateful for your wisdom, courage, and resilience,” he said.
To ensure equal opportunity for all citizens, the governor also cleared an outstanding debt of about N18 million that had prevented Christians from Kebbi from performing pilgrimage.
He said when the issue was raised during a courtesy visit by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the governor immediately directed that the payment be made before the delegation left the Government House.
“The amount was sourced and presented to the CAN leadership to settle the debt and enable Christians from Kebbi to perform their pilgrimage like any other Nigerian Christians,” he revealed.
He added that the ministry had resolved 1,496 marriage and community disputes in the last three years as part of efforts to promote peaceful coexistence and strengthen family values across the state
The commissioner further disclosed that more than 20,000 mental health patients benefited from free medical care under the Zakat and Waqf Programme.
He said the ministry also treated 114 cases of pregnancy outside wedlock, nine cases of marriages contracted after pregnancy, and 132 cases involving girls allegedly kept by men without their parents’ consent.
Aliyu added that the ministry handled 27 cases of women reportedly found in the bush and believed to be under spiritual influence, 169 cases involving young and married women found in hotels and guest houses, and rescued 43 mentally ill persons who were hospitalized.
“We arrested 17 persons for smoking marijuana and shisha. We also handled 1,253 cases of alcohol and drug abuse, 98 court-referred cases, 37 theft cases, and 271 other cases of alleged immoral conduct,” he said.
He added that the ministry’s annual Ramadan feeding programme provides meals for about 20,000 needy persons daily throughout the fasting period.
Aliyu said the ministry continues to train and retrain imams and Islamic scholars to improve their competence. Interfaith engagements and dialogue sessions are also regularly organized to promote unity, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence in the state.
