The Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) to protect the lives and property of Muslims in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of the country.
The Muslim apex body in Nigeria made the call on the heels of last Saturday’s violent attack on Muslims in Nsukka in which two mosques were burnt and property worth millions of Naira were lost.
The NSCIA, in separate letters to the two top security chiefs dated November 1, 2020, copies of which were sighted by Tribune Online, on Wednesday, signed by its Deputy Secretary-General, Professor Salisu Shehu, alleged that the latest attack on Muslim faithful in Nsukka was a followup to an inciteful sermon delivered by one Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah.
The body recalled that it had, in a letter dated October 23, 2020, implored the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS to specially protect the lives, property and places of worship of Muslims living in the two zones.
The NSCIA stated that it had in that letter informed that violent assaults were being unleashed on Muslims in parts of the two zones, adding that some Muslims were killed and their property worth billions of Naira were looted, vandalises or set on fire.
According to the Islamic body, mosques, including ancient ones built by Igbo Muslims were burnt, declaring that rather than abating the persecution and violence against Muslims in the South-East and South-South had persisted with greater intensity.
“The Inspector-General may recall our letter dated 6 Rabiul-Awwal, 1441 AH (October 23, 2020) wherein we implored the Nigeria Police Force to specially protect the lives, property and places of worship of Muslims living in the South-East and South-South.
“In the said letter we informed you about the violent assaults being unleashed on the Muslims in some parts of the zones. Some were killed and their property worth billions of Naira were looted, vandalized or set on fire.
“Mosques including very ancient ones built by Indigenous Igbo Muslims were burnt. Rather than abating, the persecution and violence against Muslims in the said two zones have persisted with greater intensity.
“Just yesterday Saturday, October 31, 2020, as a result of a hateful and inciteful sermon, full of lies and fallacies, delivered by one Bishop, Reverend Father Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, some Christian bigots unleashed a violent and virulent attack on Muslims in Nsukka and burnt their Mosques (see attached pictures of the burnt Mosques). We are yet to confirm the number of casualties. In the sermon attached, it was clear that the Bishop instigated the worshippers against Mosques and Muslims.
“It would therefore require any disagreement, no matter how minute, to execute the premeditated havoc wreaked on the Muslims in the two zones.
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“The recurrence of these kinds of incessant arson and massacre of Muslims in the South-East and South-South if left unchecked could surely ignite reprisals in other parts of the country, especially the North. It has therefore become imperatively urgent to proactively bring an end to these criminalities.
“In view of the above, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), on behalf of the entire Nigerian Muslim Ummah hereby reiterates our call on you Sir, to rise up to this challenge and protect the lives and property of Muslims in the South-East and South-South as bonafide citizens of Nigeria who should live peacefully in any part of the country.
“Specifically, we also implore you to as a matter of urgency interrogate Reverend Father Godfrey Igwebuike Onah on his hate speech, inciteful sermon of lies fabricated to provoke hatred for the Muslims,” the NSCIA stated in the letter, which was copied the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, NSCIA, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar.
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