Four Afienya Muslim leaders bonded

Four leaders of the Ahlu-Sunna and the Tijanniya Islamic sects at Afienya have been bonded to be of good behaviour or face two months’ imprisonment.

The leaders, Alhaji Mahamadu Osman and Mohammed Hadina of the Ahlu-Sunna sect and Amadu Alhassan and Alpha Olu of the Tijanniya group, were put before the Tema Circuit Court following an application for a peace bond by the police.

The two Islamic sects have been involved in clashes over doctrinal differences and the use of the Afienya Central Mosque since last month.

Police intervention 

On March 21, 2014, it took the timely intervention of the police to prevent a clash between the two Muslim groups from degenerating into violence after their regular Friday prayers.

Irate members of the Ahlu-Sunna and the Tijanniya sects, mostly young men, after prayers clashed over doctrinal differences and the use of the Afienya Central Mosque.

A combined team of policemen from Dodowa, Prampram and Tema had to resort to the firing of warning shots to disperse the mob before their differences turned violent. 

The police, who had acted on intelligence, heard about the intended clash and subjected worshippers to a search before they were allowed to enter the mosque for prayers on that day.

Later, leaders of both factions were invited for a settlement of the feud by the police, while police patrol activities to contain any acts of lawlessness were intensified.

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Even though the Dodowa Police and the Office of the Police Imam of the Police Religious Affairs Unit brokered peace between the groups, the police had to subsequently secure a court permit to lock the mosque up as the feud continued.

Leaders before court

On Wednesday, April 9, 2014, the Tema Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs Cecilia Chebe Agbeve, after hearing the motion of notice filed by the police, warned the leaders to endeavour to keep the peace in the Afienya community.

She told the four leaders that failure on their part to ensure that peace prevailed in the community would lead to their serving a two-month prison term.

The Dodowa District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Mr Kwesi Ofori, in a motion, had noted that the police received information on a possible clash between the two groups.

He said that had resulted in tension in the community and that the members of the two sects who seemed to be on a warpath had been acting under the influence of their leaders.

He informed the court that in spite of efforts by the Interim Police, the Prampram-Ningo District Security Committee and the Greater Accra Regional Security Council, the two sects continued to engage in acts that had the tendency to breach the peace in the community.

Loggerhead for three years

The Chairman of the Muslim group in Afienya, Alhaji Osumanu Mohammed, told the Daily Graphic that the two groups had been at loggerheads for more than three ­­years.

“For 34 years, the Ahlu-Sunna had been worshipping in the mosque with no problem. The place is for all Muslims. We all come to pray and go back home, but one sect cannot impose its beliefs on others who do not believe in them,” he said.

He said the feud started when members of the Tijanniya sect hung a white piece of cloth in the mosque and started sitting at that area to chant after each prayer session.

He said the Ahlu-Sunna group insisted that it was not a true Islamic practice and urged the youth who had hung the cloth to take it off but “that became a big issue”.