MURIC raises alarm over plot to attack Southwest Muslim

Stanley Ihedigbo

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has raised an alarm over a plot to unleash violence on Muslims in Nigeria’s South West region.

In a call to action, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, urged the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Security, and other security agencies to intervene and prevent the impending violence.

In a widely circulated public statement, Akintola disclosed that there has been a plethora of threats in video clips and articles circulated on social media which were directed at Yoruba Muslims and their leaders over the ongoing Shari’ah controversy.

“We are constrained to call the attention of the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), and other security agencies in Nigeria to stop the plot to unleash violence on South West Muslims. The plot thickens daily as new threats are issued by different Yoruba groups.

“The latest is a statement issued by one Ahmed Saliu Olokoju (names likely to be fake), who called himself the Secretary-General, Yoruba Islamic Salvation Front (YOISF), a hitherto unknown group.

“In an article captioned ‘Shariah in Yorubaland: The Fulani Grand Plot to Destroy Yorubaland,’ Olokoju labeled Yoruba Muslims who are supporting civil Shari’ah in Yorubaland as ‘Fulani agents.’ This is ethnic bigotry and incitement of one ethnic group against another,” he explained.

He further said that Olokoju also engaged in criminal name-dropping by directly mentioning the names of Muslim leaders and that of a prominent Muslim traditional ruler.

“He wrote, ‘The game changer to destroy Yorubaland is to introduce Sharia. The rogues, criminals supporting them, are one Akintola from Ile Ife, who lectures at Lagos State University, the Oluwo of Iwo, Mahmud Adesina, and a few others whom we understand have been paid some $10m in advance. To them, religion is profit.’

“This was followed by direct threats to wage ‘holy war’ against proponents of Shari’ah, ‘to seek them, their children, their wives, and their businesses.’ According to him, ‘…To mobilize and wage holy war against these promoters of Sharia and their agents in Yorubaland. We shall pursue them and seek them, their children, their wives, and their businesses wherever they are. Yorubaland must never and can never have Sharia. That is a call for war in families and communities.’

“Olokoju also mobilized his audience to join his murderous group for training in terrorist acts against Yoruba Muslims. He said, ‘If you are reading this, pass it on, and if you join YOISF in your locality for the training and preparation for Jihad against Yoruba rogues, criminals, and bastards who are bent on using religion to cause civil war in Yorubaland. We shall stop them with their sword and gun.’

“This should not be treated with levity. It is no longer a joke. The threats are coming from the right, left, and center, and it is always against Yoruba Muslims and their leaders, all because we refuse to be forcefully converted to Christianity. We refuse to be assimilated. False Muslim names are being adopted by blackmailers and Christian terrorists who masquerade as Muslims. It is the height of cowardice,” he lamented.

Professor Akintola noted that all the threats emerging from Yorubaland have emanated from faceless Yoruba groups against Yoruba Muslims.

“Meanwhile, Yoruba Muslims have remained cool, collected, and unperturbed without responding in like manner.

“We want the security agencies to take note of this and to rise to the task. Nobody should change the narratives after Yoruba Muslims have been attacked. It is clear now that the first threats came from the other side. It is only logical to assume that the first attack or attacks will also come from the other side. The security agents can prevent the mayhem if they move now.

“Besides, the presidency cannot afford to ignore threats of war coming from the president’s people. This is the time for Aso Rock to pay attention to religious rumblings in the president’s backyard.

“In like manner, we call all religious leaders in the geopolitical zone to take necessary steps towards dousing tension on the Shari’ah imbroglio because any religious war in Yorubaland will spell doom for the whole South West population.

“MURIC will not make provocative statements. Neither shall we incite Muslim youths. But the latter are equally watching the scenario. They are not fools. We are also aware that there is a limit to which we can continue to hold their reins. This is why security agents must stop the spate of threats. Non-Muslims have no right to dictate to us how to practice our religion,” he stressed.

The MURIC founder further explained that they have confidence in the professionalism and non-partisanship of the Nigerian security agencies.

“Those threatening to unleash violence on Muslims must be stopped. The time is now. We appeal to all Yoruba Muslims and their brethren in faith all over the country to remain calm and patient. There should be no inflammatory remarks or provocative writeups.

“We urge the entire Nigerian Muslim Community to abide by the principle of peaceful coexistence laid down by the leadership of the Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). We are a disciplined people and ours is a religion of peace. Let us be good ambassadors of Islam,” he stated.