A disturbing incident occurred on Sunday, June 16, at Oke Imuse Iseyin, Oyo State, where a Muslim family was attacked by soldiers allegedly hired by a local pastor. The victims, Abdul Azeez Sulaiman and his two wives, Nafeesah Imran and Ajarat Razaq, were assaulted with dangerous weapons at their residence.
According to eyewitnesses and a circulating video, the soldiers, led by the pastor’s son, Damilola Stephen, stormed the victims’ home after they returned from Eid prayers. The soldiers allegedly used knives, batons, and sharp rods to attack the family, injuring the husband and wives, one of whom is heavily pregnant.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with Muslim organizations, human rights groups, and individuals denouncing the attack. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the Nigerian Army to investigate and discipline the soldiers involved, Muslimnews Reports.
This incident highlights the need for religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. The attack on a Muslim family on Eid-Al-Adha, a sacred day in the Islamic calendar, is particularly disturbing and requires swift action from authorities to ensure justice and prevent future incidents.
The unfortunate incident has sparked reactions on social media with Muslim organizations, human rights bodies and individuals strongly condemning the attack on the innocent Muslim family on the day of celebration of their biggest festival.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) described the unfortunate attack as “an unjust, callous and inhuman behavior on the part of the 20 soldiers”, thereby calling on the Nigerian Army to fish out the soldiers for attacking innocent Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Saturday 22nd June, 2024 by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organisation demanded justice for the victims, saying, “We call on the army to investigate, apprehend and punish the belligerent military personnel involved in this atrocity without unnecessary delays. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
According to the statement, “We are in possession of video clips and the picture of one of the 20 soldiers who broke the heads of a Muslim woman in purdah and that of her husband and inflicted serious injuries on other Muslims.
“In addition, the soldiers seized a little child, cut open his hand with a knife and took him away. It was one of the chiefs of Iseyin (the Ikolaba of Iseyin) who went to beg the soldiers before the child was released later. This is preposterous, barbaric and unacceptable. We demand justice.
“The incident occurred on Salah day, 16th June, 2024. The Muslim family was attacked as they prepared to slaughter their Salah ram on that day. The pastor of a church located opposite their house protested that the ram was placed in a position facing the church and immediately mobilised his congregation who invited soldiers from the barracks.
It was learnt that there has been a misunderstanding between the Muslim family and the church over noise pollution over which the king of Iseyin had intervened.
“MURIC is aware that the Nigerian military authorities have maintained a good reputation among patriotic and truth-loving Nigerians mainly because they do not shield the bad eggs among them.
We remind the army that this is another brutal attack on innocent civilian Muslims involved in a quarrel with a church. How can soldiers descend so heavily and so mercilessly on a poor and innocent Muslim family?
Meanwhile, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Oyo State said it has sanctioned the pastor and the church for terrorising the Muslim family in Iseyin.
Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, Apostle Sunday Ogundairo, CAN chairman in Iseyin Local Government Area said the Christian body has gone pleading with the Muslim leaders in the town.
He added that the pastor has been sanctioned by CAN.
“I have gone round pleading with the Islamic scholars in Iseyin. They should please soft-pedal their annoyance. It is glaring that the man (pastor) was guilty. CAN in Iseyin has also sanctioned the pastor and ordered him to look for another place to locate his church.
“The case started since last year and we have always settled the issue before the one which happened on Sunday”, he said.
Apostle Ogundairo assured that talks are ongoing with the Muslim community to ensure that peace is maintained.
“The suspects are already boasting that nobody or authority can bring them to book because they are powerful. There are reliable witnesses and veritable proofs to establish the allegations contained in this petition against the suspects in the court of law and our clients are ready for the litigation,” the lawyers to the victims, added.
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