A dispute over the leadership of a mosque in Enugu has escalated after police allegedly stopped the Chief Imam of Owerri Road Central Mosque, Imam Murtala Dahiru, and other Muslim leaders from attending Friday prayers.

SaharaReporters reported that the Council of Ulamas and Imams of Enugu State linked the development to a dispute involving Alhaji Yusuf Sambo, Special Assistant to Governor Peter Mbah on Special Duties and a factional Seriki Hausawa in the state.

The Council said Sambo had no authority to remove Dahiru, who it said was appointed by the religious body. It maintained that only the Council could determine the appointment or removal of the mosque’s Chief Imam.

According to the report, several Muslim leaders were arrested on September 30 after visiting the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Enugu to submit a petition concerning the matter. They were subsequently taken to the State Intelligence Bureau section of the police headquarters.

The Council alleged that the affected leaders were later made to sign an undertaking preventing them and other Muslims from attending Jumat prayers at the mosque until another Chief Imam was installed.

Through the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), the Council petitioned National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, describing the restriction as unlawful and arguing that it violated the constitutional right to freedom of religion.

It called for the directive to be withdrawn and insisted that Dahiru remains the recognised Chief Imam of the mosque. The Council also urged authorities to intervene, maintaining that the disagreement is a civil and religious matter rather than a criminal case.

The petition was copied to Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and Governor Peter Mbah.