Residents of Zandam community, in Gwaram local government area of Jigawa State, have expelled a cleric that preaches against western education in the area.
It was gathered that the cleric, Shehu Ladan, has been preaching against conventional school system and discouraged parents from enrolling their children in schools.
Ladan reportedly encouraged parents to enroll their kids in Almajiri schools where they would learn about the Holy Qur’an alone without mixing with other educations.
A member representing Gwaram constituency in the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Ado Yakubu Zandam told newsmen in Dutse, the capital, that the decision is a unanimous one in the community for on the expulsion of the cleric.
Hon. Zandam said the cleric was expelled with the support of both traditional and community leaders in the area, who he said are working assiduously to address the problem of out-of-school children in the area.
The lawmaker, who spoke at the sideline of the Jigawa State Basic Education Board (SUBEB) programme in collaboration with UNICEF and supported by the European Union (EU), to boost enrollment campaign to bring children back to schools in the State, said the cleric was expelled a week ago because the community could not continue with his kind of preaching.
It was learnt that Ladan was originally from neighbouring Bauchi State, but has built relationship with the community over time.
Although the cleric has left the community, it could not be confirmed as of press time where the religious teacher is currently based, nor could it be ascertained if there is a similarity between his preaching and that of Boko Haram that prohibits conventional education.
