The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has condemned the killing of a group of travellers returning from an Islamic event in Bauchi to Ondo on Saturday.
The Director of Administration, NSCIA, Arc. Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, said on Sunday in Abuja, in a statement, that while affirming the statements of the Governors of Plateau and Ondo states that it was a case of mistaken identity and not particularly intended for the Muslims, the council appealed to all Muslims to be calm and that nobody should take laws into his or her hands.
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“The Council re-emphasizes that no human life deserves to be wasted on any ground be it religious or ethnic. The Council is monitoring the investigation and would ensure that justice is done,” Usman-Ugwu said.
“In the meantime, while efforts are on to locate the eight missing Muslims, the council urges the security agencies to fish out all the perpetrators of the dastardly acts and ensure that adequate justice is done,” he said.
Similarly, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all responsible for the killing.
“MURIC condemns this massacre in the strongest terms. It is barbaric,” said MURIC director Ishaq Akintola made the call on Sunday in a statement, demanding that they be rounded up.
“We reject the crocodile tears and lies of Governors Lalong of Plateau and Akeredolu of Ondo State who claimed that the attack was a case of mistaken identity. This excuse is the first sign of executive conspiracy. It is a shame that Akeredolu will trivialise the massacre of citizens of his own state simply because the victims happen to be Muslims.
He added, “Lalong’s body language makes it difficult for us to trust him. He will sweep this case under the carpet at the first opportunity because his kinsmen are the culprits and he has a history of covering up their crimes. The killing of General Alkali is still fresh in our memory, particularly the attempt at a coverup, the comedy at the pond and the eventual intervention of the governor who ran to army headquarters to beg for forgiveness.
“We thought the lawlessness in Jos had stopped with the declaration of remorse. But today’s massacre of such a large number of Muslims has exposed the hypocrisy of Lalong and his bloodthirsty terrorists. All the Muslims in the convoy of five buses would have been killed and their bodies were thrown into the ponds around Jos as usual if the police and soldiers had not arrived on time.”
