The NSCIA told newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Monday, that Governor Fayose should “step into the matter and call the Onikun of Ikun, Oba Olatunde David Olusola, and his lieutenants to order while calling the Inspector-General of Police to immediately direct the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command to arrest and prosecute all the perpetrators” of the attack of Muslims in the community.
President of NSCIA in Ekiti State, Alhaji Yakub Oladoro Sanni and Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Adejumo, who addressed newsmen at the Ado Ekiti Central Mosque, on Monday, warned that “the leadership of the NSCIA may not be able to hold down the Muslims from defending themselves if nothing is done by the necessary organs of government.”
Muslims in Ikun Ekiti had clashed with masqueraders on the evening of May 30, following what members of the community said was a disagreement in the timing of the masquerade procession.
The Imam of the Ansar-ud-Deen Central Mosque in the community was injured along with other worshippers in the mosque, who were attacked by the masqueraders, just as two vehicles and the mosque were vandalised.
The violence had taken place as the Muslims were said to have gathered at the mosque for the breaking of their fast and evening prayers, allegedly with the supervision of the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Olatunde David Olusola.
NSCIA alleged that seven people had “swooped on the entire Muslim community in the mosque, destroyed everything on sight including cars, aluminium doors and windows, the acting imam of the mosque, Ustaz Abdurasaq was hit with strange objects leading to serious injuries on his head and leg.”
They also alleged that “despite persistent calls and text messages to them, no single attempt was made by the law enforcers to go to the scene of the crime, to stop the crisis nor was there any attempt to made by them to rescue the wounded worshippers who were held hostage inside the mosque.”
Reacting, the Onikun of Ike-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde David Olusola, said he was the father of all and the custodian of all religions in the community, saying he “did all that was humanly possible to making sure no crisis happened during the Egungun festival.”
The monarch in denying the allegation that he was behind the attack, pointed out that “I have been fair to all faiths and the ugly incident happened in the full glare of a large crowd of people in the town and it was not yet dark; and the Secretary to the Oba-in-Council, Mallam Musa Jimoh, is a committed Muslim.”
According to Oba Olusola, “We don’t do anything based on religious bigotry, intolerance, injustice; and high-handedness has no place in my life and in my reign.”
Rather, he accused the Muslims of inciting violence, saying “more than 70 to 80 per cent of the population in the community’s Muslim community is against these excesses and religious fanaticism.”
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