From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
The national leadership of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation yesterday said the inability of her worthy muslim brothers across the 36 states of the federation including Abuja, in paying the compulsory Zakat as contained in Islam, contribute immensely to their slow pace, essentially in fighting hunger and other economic challenges facing the less privilege among them.
The group however called on rich Muslims to strictly adhere to Zakat teachings as contained in Islam by offering 2.5 percent of their earnings to the foundation.
The Executive Director of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, Alhaji Prince Suleman Olagunju made this known on Tuesday during the 2025 annual Zakat disbursement ceremony, held in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital.
Olagunju, represented by the head of finance, Alhaji Yusuf Adelaku, gave out sewing machines, aluminum ladder, cutting machines, deep freezer, POS machine, cash, among other things to 23 indigent Muslims youth in the state.
He maintained the foundation has empowered over 800 indigent Muslims across the 29 states of the federation in 6 months interval in 2025.
“It’s an annual event that we used to do across states in Nigeria and the challenges Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation is experiencing presently is from our rich Muslim brothers in paying Zakat.
“Zakat is compulsory according to the teachings and principles of Islam and Allah ordained how to collect and how to distribute it. And we have not less than 8 categories of people who benefit from it.
“So, I’m appealing to the well to do Muslim in Nigeria to take Zakat serious.Their inability to pay Zakat is the reason why we are where we are having many economic challenges unattended to including hunger.
“Cos you have to take your liability, the debt you have, then pay 2.5% and it a very small amount and Allah instructs that we should pray for them that pays Zakat.
“So, when you give Zakat from your wealth, Allah will enrich you the more, and it will be a sort of assurance for you.
“Today, we have distributed 2.2 million naira in Ebonyi and yesterday we distributed same amount in Imo state and tomorrow we are going to spend another 2.2 million naira in Nsukka in Enugu state and it is still ongoing.
Speaking earlier, the state coordinator Alhaji Haruna Ajah, warned beneficiaries not to sale any of the items been given to them, adding that the foundation would not hesitate to arrest and persecute anyone found wanting in such act.
Zakat and Sadaqat foundation has in the past 15 years witnessed uninterrupted empowerment exercise in the state.
