The Enugu State Police Command has taken into custody a prominent Islamic cleric and a traditional leader in connection with an alleged ₦100 million fraud complaint, sparking controversy and reactions from community stakeholders.
The 74-year-old Islamic scholar, Alhaji Musa Ani, who serves as the Director of the Islamic Centre in Uwani, Enugu, was arrested at the centre on Friday by police operatives following a formal complaint of financial mismanagement.
Also detained alongside him is Alhaji Suleiman Haruna Sule, the Sarikin Hausawa of Enugu and Chairman of the United Inter-Community Traditional Council of Chiefs. Sule was reportedly arrested on Saturday when he visited the State Criminal Investigation Department to apply for bail on behalf of Ani, according to police sources.
The arrests stem from a petition filed by Alhaji Ezeani Ibrahim, a tenant of commercial shops located within the Islamic Centre’s premises. In the petition, Ibrahim accused the centre’s leadership of diverting approximately ₦100 million in funds, alleging that the money was misappropriated rather than used for its intended purposes.
However, both the accused and some members of the local Muslim community have rejected the allegations. Ani has told investigators that the Islamic Centre has never handled such a large sum, explaining that its activities are funded strictly through voluntary donations and offerings from worshippers.
The arrests have drawn sharp criticism from civil rights organisations. The Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) condemned the detentions, calling them an embarrassment for the Muslim community in Enugu. In a petition addressed to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, the group argued that the dispute is essentially a civil disagreement rooted in internal mosque leadership issues, not a criminal matter warranting police detention.
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CRRAN also questioned the legality of detaining Sule, stating that his arrest was based solely on his name appearing in the petition without giving him a fair chance to respond. The group further criticised the timing of the arrests, noting they were made on a Friday, a common practice that can delay suspects’ access to the courts due to weekend closures.
The advocacy group has called for the immediate release of both elderly leaders so they can return to their families and religious duties, especially with Ramadan observances underway. Copies of their petition were also sent to the Inspector-General of Police and the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, urging oversight and intervention in the case.
At the time of reporting, efforts to obtain comment from the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, were unsuccessful, calls and messages were not returned.
