Following the one-week warning to all Muslim communities resident in the Niger Delta to vacate the land by a Warri-based group known as Egbesu Mightier Fraternity, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) yesterday called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, look into security threats being made against the people.
The Islamic body, which expressed concern over the fate of Muslims in the South-South region of the country, said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the security of lives and properties of its citizens irrespective of where they may find themselves.
The Egbesu Mightier Fraternity group had, in a letter dated October 10, 2011, copied to the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, said “Dear Muslim communities in Niger Delta, leave our land (Niger Delta) now within seven days.
No basis for unity. We are compelled by the present Boko Haram’s merciless bombings in the country without veritable developmental agitation. Even, the killing is going on in the north.
The continuous killings of Christians in the north should be stopped forthwith. Call your brothers to order.”
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday in Kaduna, the secretary-general of JNI, Sheik Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, said that the Muslim communities are “under serious threats and, as a result, some of them have started moving out of the region because it is no longer safe for them to live there.”
“Muslims are under serious threats of their lives and property in the Niger Delta region and we have not heard anything from the government.
Information reaching us say some of the Muslims have started moving out, so it means the threat is becoming a reality and there is an inherent threat from some Christian militants from Kaduna who call themselves Akwa’at which was carried by some newspapers.
The story reads: “Christian militants threaten to hunt Arab nationals in Nigeria.’’
They mention countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria given orders by their superiors to hunt down these people and deal with them, which is also a very serious threat to peace and tranquility in this country.
Where are the rules of the game relating to bi-lateral relations where some groups will just spring up and dash threats on people?’’ he lamented.
According to the JNI’s sec. gen., “One of the most pathetic and disheartening situation is how somebody like the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Iritsejafor, would stand up and call on the government to allow the owning of guns by Nigerians in this situation of security threats where there are so many restive youths and for whoever has the money to engage them.
He queried, “Countries that have legalised them, are they any better? An example is the Norway massacre where a young man killed about 90 students.
Therefore, it is uncalled for and I think when people who occupy leadership positions especially of religious nature, should speak with wisdom and I think their utterances should be those that will bring about peaceful coexistence, understanding and good social relations with one another’’.
On the Jos crises, he noted with disappointment: “It was sad to read on the cover of newspapers that a Ward head seized by JTF was found dead.
Security people who are supposed to broach peace, who are supposed to protect lives and property of people, but unfortunately they are not concern with security of life and property, rather they destroy them.
Therefore, we call on the government to see to the investigation of the cause that led to the death of Alhaji Ahmadu Ali Kazaure, the ward head that was allegedly killed in police custody.”
He called on media organizations to always avoid anything that would cause rift for peace and harmony to prevail in the country adding that religious issues should be religiously handled in consultation with relevant faiths before legislation.
He further decried the moral and ethical threats on the proposed legalization of prostitution, saying “they said that because prostitution is becoming a menace to the country all efforts have been made to curtail the issue, and it seems it is becoming nagging. So the only solution is to legalize it.
What type of thinking is this? Do the countries who legalise prostitution solve any moral and ethical problems? In this trying moment of in country when we need moral regeneration and uprightness.
Before this saga of the legalisation of prostitution was the attempt to sponsor a bill that would allow for same sex marriage. After the socio-economic crises the country is facing, which we have not solved, we are thinking of adding insult to injury; democracy is not madness.”
He maintained that JNI is concerned over the incessant increase in the rate of rape in the country and it is becoming a menace and it cuts across all the geopolitical zones in the country.
It is quite unfortunate, especially with the new trend where young boys will target older women or mad women and small children at kindergarten age, he said. “It is really serious in this country.
The law must come to action to bring the perpetrators of this hideous act to book and our legislators are not called to come and bring foreign culture to our country.”