LUANDA (Web Desk) - Claiming that Islam was a sect, the African nation of Angola becomes the first country to ban Islam, Muslims and has shut down the mosques in the country.

The African nation of Angola has become the first country to ban Islam and Muslims, reports On Islam.

Concerning the ban, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has said: “This is the final end of Islamic influence in our country.”

Angola’s ban was first announced when Angolan Minister of Culture, Rosa Cruz e Silva said: “The process of legalisation of Islam has not been approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human rights, their mosques would be closed until further notice."

She also said that the ban must take place as Islam was “contradictory to the customs of Angola culture and it is a sect”.

The International Business Times reported that there were reports that mosques across Angola were being destroyed by unidentified thugs believed to be Christians.

Angola’s has a population of 16 million of which the majority is Christian, with 80,000-90,000 Muslims, the majority of whom are migrants from West Africa and families of Lebanese origin, according to the US State Department.