MURIC tasks Ohanezee on harassment of Northerners
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has charged the Igbo SocioCultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo to rise above primordial sentiments and stop the harassment of innocent Northerners and Muslims in the South Eastern part of the country.
Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, made the appeal in a statement on the heels of recent raids of mosques and arrest and detention of Muslims in Aba, Abia State by armed soldiers.
Recently, soldiers raided several mosques in Aba and also arrested the Chief Imam of Aba Central Mosque, Alhaji Bashir Idris and 14 others.
The Chief Imam and 12 of those arrested “were set free after rigorous interrogation lasting hours at the 144 Battalion, Asa in Ukwa West council area of the state, two teachers of the New Horizon Academy which is attached to the Central Mosque were not released due to allegation by the soldiers that they discovered substances suspected to be chemicals at the school.”
“MURIC is alarmed that Igbo leaders are not doing anything to stem the tide of Islamophobia in the South East. We charge Ohaneze to rise above primordial sentiments and stop the harassment of innocent Northerners and Muslims in their midst. We call on the Nigerian security agencies to stop coercing Northerners and Muslims resident in the SouthEast,” Akintola said.
The group denounced “the constant raids on mosques which have become recurring decimal in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. The unfolding pattern reveals overzealousness on the part of Easterners and the security operatives based in the South-East.”
It demanded the immediate release of the two teachers, the Chemistry teacher, Abdul Rahman Sani and principal, Abdul Majid Abubakar. “Who does not know that chemicals are needed to teach chemistry?,” it asked.