On Monday, Zakir Naik, a renowned radical Islamic preacher, announced his arrival into Nigeria with photos of himself and the Nigerian air force and immigration authorities, labelling them the ‘Muslim Airforce’ and ‘Muslim Immigration’.

Naik is in Nigeria for a tour on the invitation of Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, whom he has also referred to as the head of state.

The cleric’s consistent mislabelling of Nigerian institutions and authorities as ‘Muslim’ has generated an uproar on social media, with several users questioning his motives in the country and his background.

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WANTED IN INDIA, BANNED IN MALAYSIA

Naik was born and raised in India, where he finished his education and founded the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). The IRF is now banned in India, where Naik has been a wanted fugitive since 2016. 

The Indian counterterrorism agency charged him for inciting religious hate and other illegal actions, forcing him to flee and seek asylum in Malaysia. However, after three years of being sheltered in Malaysia, the authorities barred him from delivering speeches in the country. He had reportedly made derogatory remarks against the country’s ethnic Hindus and Chinese during a lecture, prompting public calls for his deportation.

India, Bangladesh, Canada and the United Kingdom have all outlawed Peace TV, a broadcast station that airs his teachings.

Naik is yet to start his lecture in Nigeria, which is scheduled to kick off on Wednesday, but he is already receiving public backlash for his public portrayal of the country.

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“It is amazing how this man, who is wanted for international terrorism, is interacting freely with members of the Nigerian Air Force and the Sultan of all people. This is definitely a security risk, and I urge the Federal Government to do the needful and take this man into questioning, or better yet, hand him over to the international authorities. Nigeria is not a safe space for terrorism, and we are not an Islamic state. We are a secular state that will never change, no matter how hard they try. I just thank God this was not one that involved the East or South; it makes me wonder what would have happened. But I guess we will never know, I think,” an X user, @YouthspireNG wrote.

Another X user, @jagabanolu, wrote, “This is the head of state… President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, don’t be unfortunate with your religiously divisive statements in a secular country of Muslims, Christians, and traditional worshippers. This is Nigeria, not the Taliban Afghanistan or Pakistan.”

“You’re stoking hatred and division in a sovereign nation. No wonder you ran away from India where you’re wanted for acts of terrorism,” wrote @dearcelestine_, another user.

@ikeuwanuakwa, another user, also said, “I dislike individuals running around spreading disunity in the name of religion. Dr. Zakir is fully aware that these people are part of the Nigerian Air Force, not a nonexisting Muslim Air Force. They may be Muslim individuals serving in the Nigerian Air Force, but that does not make it a Muslim Air Force. He should take his ideology elsewhere. We are Nigerians before we are Christians, Muslims, or adherents of traditional beliefs.”