MUSWEN, NDD call for arrest, punishment of perpetrators of Owo church massacre

THE Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) has described the mass shooting that led to the death of dozens of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, last Sunday as signalling a new climax of tragedy in Nigeria.

It said the “demonic incident” was beyond “mere lamentations, condemnations or commiseration, as it was one tragedy too agonising to bear.”

MUSWEN, in a statement by its media consultant, Alhaji Femi Abbas, said without bringing the perpetrators to book, it considered mere expression of sorrow and sympathy as sheer meaningless pity.

According to the organisation, no one is empowered to “audaciously” terminate the life or lives of other citizens without paying “maximally” for it.

It lamented that Nigerians had experienced similar occurrences in different regions and states with little or no effective reactions that could put a final stop to it.

MUSWEN said if “a country combines the incidents of banditry with those of terrorism, and still keeps recording mass murder of innocent citizens, incessantly, by terrorists and bandits,” a new strategy must be adopted to put an end to that kind of “demonic” situation.

It, therefore, called on the Federal Government to consider, among other things, the “restoration of effective death penalty for hardened criminals in our judicial system” to ensure solid security in the land.

It also asked the government to criminalise the bearing and wielding of guns or any other dangerous weapon in public without adequate licensing.

The organisation also advocated “regulating and controlling the freedom of Nigerian uniformed security personnel in using weapons, unnecessarily, in civil areas of the society.”

It prayed for the repose of the souls of those murdered in the tragedy and asked for Allah’s fortitude for their relatives to be able to cope with life after their demise.

In the same vein, the Network for Democracy and Development (NDD) condemned the terrorist act.

The organisation, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Tajudeen Alabede and General Secretary, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad, said nothing could justify “the heartless attack.”

The group said: “A house of worship is a sanctuary which, even in a situation of war, should serve as an inviolable place of refuge.

“NDD calls on the government of Ondo State and the security agencies to do everything possible to apprehend the criminal elements and make them face the full weight of the law. There should be no mercy for those who are bent on destroying the nation and her people. There must be justice for the victims.

“We equally urge communities and citizens to work in close partnership with the government at all levels to stem the unimaginable level of criminality and bloodletting that we are witnessing in Nigeria.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, the people of Ondo State, the Catholic Church and the Nigerian Christian community.”

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