MURIC urges IGP to prevent violence against South West Muslims

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has raised an alarm over what it called increasing threats of violence against Muslims in the South West region of Nigeria, particularly Yoruba Muslims.

The group has called on the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), and other security agencies to act swiftly to prevent further escalation of these threats.

In a press release issued on Friday, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Executive Director of MURIC, mentioned the growing tension in the region due to ongoing debates and discussions surrounding Shari’ah law.

Akintola expressed concern over a series of threats targeting Yoruba Muslims and their leaders, which have been spreading via social media and other platforms.

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“We are constrained to call the attention of the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS, and other security agencies to stop the plot to unleash violence on South West Muslims.

“The plot thickens daily as new threats are issued by different Yoruba groups,” Akintola said in the statement.

He explained that one of the most recent threats came from a man named Ahmed Saliu Olokoju, who identified himself as the Secretary General of the Yoruba Islamic Salvation Front (YOISF), a group previously unknown.

In a statement titled ‘Shariah in Yorubaland: The Fulani Grand Plot to Destroy Yorubaland’, Olokoju accused Yoruba Muslims supporting Shari’ah of being “Fulani agents,” an allegation Akintola condemned as baseless and inflammatory.

He added that Olokoju’s statement contained direct threats to those advocating for Shari’ah law, warning of a “holy war” against them.