“Not Our Member”: JIBWIS Reacts to Viral Threat Against Enugu, Demands Arrest

ABUJA, NIGERIA — The National Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, has demanded the immediate arrest and investigation of a man captured in a viral video wearing the organization’s First Aid Group uniform while chanting threats of a violent attack on Enugu.

The disturbing footage, which has circulated widely online, shows an individual participating in a jogging exercise while chanting provocative statements. The man can be heard calling for AK-47 rifles to be distributed to his group to launch an attack on Enugu on Sunday.

Sheikh Bala Lau called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant security agencies to track down the individual and his associates to ensure they face the full wrath of the law.

The JIBWIS leader categorically dissociated the Islamic organization from the inflammatory remarks, emphasizing that threats of violence, intimidation, and ethnic hostility completely contradict the core principles and teachings of the group.

He cautioned the public and security agencies that simply wearing the JIBWIS First Aid Group uniform does not grant anyone authorization to speak or act on behalf of the body. Sheikh Bala Lau further suggested that the video might be a calculated attempt by external actors to misrepresent JIBWIS and damage its reputation.

The National Chairman questioned the logic of linking the organization to violence, pointing to its historical track record including its recent hosting of an international conference in Abuja that brought together Christian leaders, Islamic scholars of various sects, and global personalities to promote interfaith dialogue, religious tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.

JIBWIS insists that for nearly 48 years since its founding, it has committed itself to propagating authentic Islamic teachings, moral reformation, education, and humanitarian services across Nigeria, regardless of religious or ethnic backgrounds.