metro
MURIC reacts as traditional worshippers threaten to invade Iwo
Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern, has reacted to the alleged threat by traditionalists to invade Iwo in Osun State over the alleged disrespect of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, for traditional religion.
MURIC reacted to the development in the early hours of Monday in a statement by its Founder and Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
The Traditional Worshippers Association of Osun State had a week ago threatened to march on Iwo town.
They accused Oba Akanbi of gross disrespect for the traditional mode of worship.
But MURIC in the statement by Akintola cautioned the traditionalists against invading Iwo town, saying such will be open confrontation, an invitation to chaos and flagrant disregard for the rule of law.
It said: “The Traditional Worshippers Association of Osun State has threatened to march on Iwo town in Osun State for what they described as the Oluwo’s disrespect for traditional religion. The traditionalists gave a 21-day ultimatum within which the Oluwo must publicly apologise for his unguarded statements against the traditionalists or face the consequences. The group threatened to demand the deposition of the Oluwo unless the king met their demand.
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“We will like to caution the traditionalists against carrying out their threat because of the implications of invading a whole city at a time when Nigeria is facing dire security challenges. Such invasion will tantamount to open confrontation, an invitation to chaos and disregard for the rule of law.
“In the first place, indigenes of the city are likely to come out in defence of their king. This may result in a bloody clash whose consequences cannot be foreseen at the moment. Secondly, such invasion shows disregard for the rule of law because there is freedom of speech and anyone who finds Oluwo’s declarations distasteful or defamatory should go to court instead of embarking on a show of force.
“Thirdly, invading Iwo town may not go down well with Muslims in Osun State in particular and Yorubaland in general because Iwo is traditionally known as ‘Ilu Alfa’, meaning ‘city of Islamic scholars’. The planned invasion by traditionalists may therefore be seen as an attack on the base of Islam in Yorubaland.
“We note with deep concern that traditionalists in Yorubaland prefer to monopolise Muslim traditional rulers in such a way that the latter pay no attention to Islam and Muslims but concentrate on traditional rites alone.
“However, we note with satisfaction that the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, stands out among Muslim rulers in Osun State who manifests consciousness of his faith. He has taken giant steps to revive pristine Islam in Iwoland. He has also openly identified with Islam as his religion. We therefore have every reason to believe that this is the real reason for the planned invasion of Iwo town by traditionalists.
“We see no reason why traditionalists should pick offence if the Oluwo identifies himself with Islam because he has not disallowed tradionalists from worshipping their gods. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 38 (i) & (ii) grants every Nigerian citizen the right to worship as well as the right to manifest his religion freely. The Oluwo is also covered by this constitutional provision and he must be allowed to ‘worship’ and ‘manifest’ according to his conscience.
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“Traditionalists have no right to insist that a king must be a traditional worshipper. The king is the ruler over all subjects in the town and this includes Christians, Muslims and traditionalists. The attempt to restrict the king to traditional worshipping alone and to attack the Oluwo because he is a Muslim is an exhibition of religious intolerance.
“MURIC appeals to the Osun State Police Command to take the threat issued by the traditionalists very seriously. No group, no matter how powerful, has the right to threaten the peace of the land. The police must be proactive in handling this matter so that the diabolical plan of the traditionalists can be nipped in the bud.
“We alert the Government of the State of Osun to the hidden blackmail in the threat to invade Iwo town unless the government calls Oluwo to order. Government must not allow itself to be railroaded into taking any action capable of provoking the teeming majority Muslim population of the state. Outsiders cannot determine what the people of Iwo want.
“The good people of Iwo want Oba Rasheed Akanbi on the throne. Muslims in Yorubaland are pleased with him. Traditionalists have no right to demand his dethronement. It is an exhibition of intolerance on the part of the traditionalists to demand the deposition of an Oba just because he does not dance to their tune. It will be a dangerous precedence if traditionalists are allowed to dictate to government. The Oyetola administration must be firm.
“In addition, Government has a duty to protect the law abiding and hardworking people of Iwo town from the planned invasion of traditionalists. The primary duty of government is to ensure the security of lives and properties. Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constituion (as amended), states inter alia : ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government’ and that presupposes that it is a reference to government at both the federal and state levels.”
The Eagle
metro
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.
The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.
His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.
“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.
“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.
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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
metro
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.
Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.
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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.
Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.
He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
(NAN)
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