The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the release of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Omoyele Sowore, urging him to extend similar gesture to the 54 soldiers serving jail term for asking for better weapons to fight Boko Haram insurgency.
MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Thursday in a statement appealed to President Buhari to exercise his prerogative of mercy by setting the 54 soldiers free.
“We express our profound gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Omoyele Sowore. It shows that our president is listening. If it is true that Dasuki was detained over the $2.1m arms fraud case (and it is), what becomes of the poor soldiers who exposed the fraud but who, paradoxically, are still languishing in jail?
“Nigerians became aware of the poor weaponry among federal troops fighting Boko Haram when the 54 soldiers demanded better arms. They are therefore heroes, not villains and should not be languishing in jail. It was their protest which led to questions regarding the $2.1m meant for the purchase of sophisticated weapons but which was diverted to fund political campaign.
“President Buhari exhibited magnanimity by releasing Dasuki and Sowore. It is true that those two men have people, including the media, crying out day and night for their release unlike the 54 soldiers who have nobody to agitate for them.
“We beg the president to show mercy to these young men. ‘The quality of mercy is not strained. It dropped as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath,” Akintola said.
He said that if Dasuki and Sowore release were Christmas gifts to Nigerians, the release of the 54 soldiers should be as New Year hampers.
