The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has tasked the Federal Government with revoking the airstrip licence for the Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, owned by Bishop David Oyedepo.
The council made the demand in a communiqué issued at the end of the 10th meeting of the Expanded General Purpose Committee (EGPC) held at the Abuja National Mosque.
The communiqué was signed by Professor Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary-General.
In October, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), announced the granting of the licence to the Living Faith Church for the construction of a private airstrip.
Keyamo said the airstrip would be managed by the Federal Government through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
Immediately, some members of the House of Representatives called for the revocation of airstrip licences issued to individuals and private organisations, citing security reasons.
The NSCIA communiqué described the private airstrip’s licence as an aberration that could threaten the peace and security of the country.
The council also recommended five new imams for the Abuja National Mosque.
The meeting, which was presided over the President-General of NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, was attended by Muslim leaders across the country including the Deputy President General, NSCIA (South), Alh. Rasaki Oladejo; Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; Secretary General of NSCIA, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede; Deputy Secretary General of NSCIA, Prof. Salisu Shehu; Secretary-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Prof. Khalid Abubakar; and Executive Secretary of Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN), Prof. Muslih Yahaya, among others.
It decried the non-recognition of Muslim marriage certificates by certain authorities within and outside Nigeria, thereby compelling Muslim couples to supplement valid Islamic Marriage certificates with official marriage certificates — “conditions of which are not in conformity with the Shariah.”
It reaffirmed its 1986 resolution that the only accredited agency for organising national musabaqah (national competition on Qur’anic recitation), on behalf of the Ummah of Nigeria, is the Centre for Islamic Studies, University of Sokoto (now Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto).
