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Meet Sheikh Khalid, The Abuja Imam Sacked for criticizing the Buhari
Sheikh Khalid is a popular Islamic Cleric, and political commentator, he was recently in complictaion for critisizing President Buhari.
Sheikh Khalid is a popular Islamic Cleric, and political commentator, he was recently in the news after he was sacked by a Mosque committee for criticizing President Buhari over the Kaduna Killings that happened a few weeks ago.
The Imam, in his Friday sermon, had criticised President Buhari for failure to visit Kaduna over the terrorist attack, saying mere condemnation wasn’t enough.
He argued that the president was in Kaduna for campaigns but refused to visit the state after the bomb attack on the passenger train.
“Everyone condemned the incident, except the bandits. So condemnation is not enough. The president should visit the state to sympathise with the victims.
“The president has been to Kaduna for campaigns but couldn’t go to the state on a sympathy visit,” he had said.
The Committee had earlier suspended him, before finally relieving him of his duty as the Chief Imam of the Mosque.
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Sheikh Khalid Biography
Sheikh Khalid was born on 1 October 1960 in Jos Plateau State. As a child in an Islamic family, the Cleric was taught how to read and write Arabic at a young age, before going for his primary education. After his primary education, he joined the School of Higher Islamic Studies before proceeding to the University of Jos where he bagged a degree in Islamic Studies.
Sheikh Khalid began his career as a teacher in a School of Higher Islamic Studies in Jos. Before he was appointed as an Imam of a Jumu’at Mosque in Jos. Furthering his career as a cleric, He was also appointed as an imam of Jumu’ah at Nyanya Jumuat Mosque in Abuja. In 2007 he was appointed Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Juma’at Mosque in Abuja.
As the chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Juma’at Mosque in Abuja, the cleric is seen as a Public Speaker, as he addresses over 5,000 People in his Friday Congregational Prayer Khutbah and his annual Ramadan Digital Tafseer which is aired on Television, Radio stations and internet live stream broadcasting with viewers in Nigeria and across the world.
Aside from his successful career as Cleric, Skehik Khalid also founded the Islamic Research Da’awah Foundation IRDF.
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Political Participation and Interest
Prior to his recent complication with the mosque committee for criticizing the present administration for its incompetence, the cleric has been an outspoken political commentator. In 2014, He commended the Nigerian Legislation and the President for refusing to legalize gay marriage in the country, which he said is against the teaching of Islam and Christianity and also against the norms and values of the Nigerian people.
It is also imperative to note that the cleric also constantly condemned terrorism and the insurgency of Islamic fundamentalism. He stated that unemployment and corruption are the major causes of insecurity in Nigeria and called for the Government to increase job opportunities for the youth.