THE National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) has condemned the mob killing of 16 hunters in Uromi, Edo State.
In a statement by National President Mallam Sani Suleiman Maigoro and National Secretary General, Alhaji Mas’ud Akintola, NACOMYO described the act as “barbaric and reprehensible.”
The body criticised the local vigilante group fingered as responsible for the crime for raising a false alarm that incited the killing, despite the victims’ explanation that they were fasting Muslims and hunters returning home from Port Harcourt, Rivers States, to Kano State for the Eid ul-Fitr celebrations.
It acknowledged efforts by the Edo State government to ease tensions and called on governments at all levels to move beyond rhetoric and implement concrete policies that ensure the safety and well-being of all Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity, religion or origin.
It also urged Nigerians to transcend divisive, primordial sentiments and prioritise unity, echoing Martin Luther King’s timeless wisdom: ‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools’.
NACOMYO emphasised that being Muslim or from Northern Nigeria should never be criminalised.
The apex Muslim youth body demanded that the Inspector General of Police conduct a swift and thorough investigation, ensuring the identification and immediate prosecution of all perpetrators.
“Viral videos of the incident should assist in this process, providing justice and some closure to the victims’ families,” it said.
NACOMYO extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the repose of the departed souls, seeking Allah’s mercy and paradise for “the martyrs.” The council also urged the government to compensate their dependants.
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