21st June, 2018
PRESS RELEASE:
NO
TO CAN’S APPEAL FOR CLEMENCY FOR KILLERS
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has frowned upon an appeal
made by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to President Muhammadu
Buhari asking him to intervene in the death sentences passed on five Christian
youths in Adamawa State. The appeal was made in a press statement issued by CAN
president, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The five convicts were sentenced to death for culpable homicide
by Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri of a High Court in the state. They were alleged
to have, on June 1, 2017, ‘willfully and intentionally conspired and attacked
three herdsmen rearing cattle at Kadamun village in Demsa Local Government
Area.’ One of the herdsmen, Adamu Buba, was killed and his body was thrown into
a river. The convicts also maimed several cows.
MURIC described CAN’s action as an attempt to obstruct
the course of justice using its connections in the Federal Government. The organization
said, “It is infantile, ludicrous and unacceptable. It is an attempt to aid and
abet criminality while pointing accusing fingers at innocent Muslims. It is
outrageously outrageous. This should not have come up at all. It is absolute
bunkum.”
In
a press statement obtained by our correspondent and signed by Professor Ishaq
Akintola, director of the human rights organization, MURIC argued that at least
four Muslim kidnappers were sentenced to life imprisonment by the same judge,
in the same court and on the same day but CAN said nothing about them. It
added, “Again, where was CAN when the Fulani kidnappers of Chief Olu Falae were
sentenced to life imprisonment about two years ago?”
Continuing, it asked, “Why is CAN being so parochial? How
can we have different laws for different people? Which one does CAN want to
follow: the rule of law where every Nigerian is equal before the law or the
‘rule of escape’ where Christians, rich and powerful citizens are above the
law? Why is CAN eager to set them free if the organization is not their sponsor
or very close to their sponsor or sponsors?”
Akintola expressed dismay at what he called “well educated
Christian leaders can openly canvass for selective justice. CAN wants criminals
and killers among Christians to go scot free so they can kill more Muslims but
the same CAN will not put in a single word for criminals among Muslims who were
sentenced to life imprisonment.”
Again he asked, “Can you see what acrobatic religiousity has
done to Nigeria?” What will happen if Muslim leaders also use their influence (and
that is if they have any) to secure freedom for Muslims who commit murder? How
can we find any solution to these killings? Our own stand is that whoever
commits an offence, whether he is a Muslim or a Christian, should be punished
in order to serve as a deterrent to others. Let the law take its due course.
Sentence Muslims to death if they kill. Sentence Christians to death if they
kill.”
MURIC insists that no group is totally innocent, adding, “There
are criminals among Muslims and there are criminals among Christians but for any
religious leader to seek immunity for criminals in his flock makes mockery of
the judicial system. We are all looking for an end to killings in this country.
People are just being killed like rams everywhere. It is therefore shocking to
hear a group which claims to be holier-than-thou attempting to shelter killers
because they happen to belong to the same faith.
“Interestingly, CAN has been in the forefront of those
complaining. The umbrella Christian body was pointing accusing fingers at
Fulani herdsmen and Muslims but the outcome of investigations now prove
otherwise. Several members of Benue Christian militia have been caught with
arms. They are being funded and trained secretly by the state government. A
fake military barracks has been discovered by the army.
“Those who secretly fund a militia group are capable of doing
anything. Those who set up fake military barracks can do and undo. We strongly
suspect that these hitmen have been instructed to disguise as Muslims to stage
attacks on Christian targets in order to hang the crime on Muslims.
The human rights group
also has a poser for CAN. “Otherwise what informed the ugly scenario in a Benue
church where two Catholic bishops were killed along with other worshippers? Those
being tried for this heinous crime are all Christians: Manga Husseini, David Akenawe,
Agada Tsesaa, Tarza Orvanya & Ngyohov Shin. How far will some people go
just to tarnish the image of Muslims? Soldiers also arrested two suspected
members of a militia gang terrorizing residents of Katsina-Ala in Benue State
two days ago and both of them are Christians.
“If
we add the five Christians who killed the Fulani and wounded their cattle to
the list of Christian killer militiamen, what we have is a situation where the
riddle of killings is being solved little by little. The Fulanis have been
complaining for a long time that they were being attacked. Whole Fulani
families and communities were being wiped out. Their cattle were being rustled.
Nobody listened to them because the perpetrators have been well trained, extra-careful,
clever, methodical but merciless and deadly. We should not treat this case with
kid’s glove now that some people have been caught.”
MURIC
alleged that there is a plot to tarnish the image of Muslims and their
religion. “The plot to incriminate Muslims or hang crimes on innocent Muslims
in order to smear the good name of Islam is gradually unfolding. We will not
stand akimbo while the real dramatis personae in this game use blackmail and
intimidation to cover their tracts.
Turning
philosophical, Akintola said, “Only Almighty Allah himself can save Muslims
from these plots and intrigues. We Muslims are very plain. We say it as it is.
Mischief and subterfuge are not in our character. We take our religion
seriously. No pretense. Muslims don’t fight secretly. They don’t pin crime
committed by them on innocent people. They declare war openly only when they
are attacked. But there is enough evidence now that it is not so on the other
side. Any method goes, fair or foul.”
MURIC argued that “it is
scandalous for a body like CAN to be ‘…calling on President Buhari to intervene in the death sentence
passed on these Christian youths in Adamawa.’
The organization therefore
advised CAN to allow the law to take its rightful course. “Christian leaders
should stop interfering with the course of justice. It is unethical to ask the
president to intervene in a criminal case. Summon your legal team. Head for the
appeal court. Afterall the convicts were tried by a court of competent
jurisdiction. It was not a Shariah court.”
Akintola appealed to
religious leaders to comport themselves with the dignity which Allah has
granted them. “They should not attempt to sway justice in any direction. The
Glorious Qur’an commands justice (16:90). It forbids deviation from the course
of justice (Qur’an 5:8) and enjoins Muslims to maintain justice even if the
case is against their friends or members of their family (Qur’an 4:135).
Going
comparative, Akintola cited relevant portions of the Bible which teach justice.
He said, “Similarly, the Bible declares, ‘When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.’ Proverbs 21:15. It says, ‘Blessed
are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!’ and adds, ‘But
let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing
stream’ (Amos 5:24).
He
urged Nigerians to obey the scriptures, “We can all see now that the problem
with Nigeria is acrobatic religiousity. It is not an acute lack of resources. People
know what their scriptures teach but they choose to follow their whims and
caprices. Let us follow the true teachings of our holy books.”
Concluding,
MURIC said, “In our closing remarks, we urge President Muhammadu Buhari to
ignore CAN’s request for freedom for killers. We commend the gallant soldiers,
policemen and DSS who are working day and night in Benue, Taraba, Plateau and
other places to ensure that killings stop and that killers are brought to book.
Instead of conducting clandestine manouvres, we urge the leaders of CAN to join
hands with Muslim leaders in an effort to enforce law and order in Nigeria.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC)
