MURIC WARNS AGAINST RETURN OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

5th April 2012 PRESS RELEASE: ASSASSINATION OF OSHIOMOLE'S AIDE: MURIC WARNS AGAINST RETURN OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE Olaitan Ayorinde, 44, Principal Private Secretary of Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, was assassinated early yesterday. The Edo governor's aide was gunned down by a four-man gang who shot him in the head, stomach and chest in the presence of his wife.   Coming so soon after an alleged attempted killing of the governor himself and occurring on the same day that the latter was set to flag off his campaign for re-election for a second term in the coming June gubernatorial election, the murder of Olaitan signals the return of political violence.  Equally disturbing is the tension created in the State of Oshun where Senator Omisore allegedly threatened to attack the convoy of governor Rauf Aregbesola. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) roundly condemns the cold-blooded murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, a young, energetic and promising politician. We frown at the level of frustration that might have driven his opponents to draw blood. In the same vein, we denounce Omisore's unguarded and highly provocative outburst.  MURIC identifies a link between Omisore's threat to attack Aregbesola's convoy and the real 'attack' on Oshiomole's convoy. Omisore's threat may also have been a coded message to his accomplices and agents in Benin who staged the so-called truck crash into Oshiomole's convoy. The time frame between the threat and the 'crash' are close enough to attract the attention and suspicion of homicide detectives. We charge the police in both Oshun and Edo States to do thorough investigations. In actual fact we expect a non-partisan police and other security agencies to have invited Omisore for questioning on the basis of his threat. How can anyone threaten a sitting governor in that manner and nothing happens? Some politicians have demonstrated that they possess the noun 'murder' and the verb 'to kill'. We warn against the return of political violence. This is an ill wind that blows nobody no good. We urge the ruling party to rein in not only its enfant terrible but also the advocatus diaboli within its rank and file. Heating up the polity at a time when there are serious security challenges is counter-productive. The authors of 'do-or-die' politics are the worst enemies of democracy. Professor Is-haq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) 234-818-211-9714 234-803-346-4974 Professor Is-haq Akintola,  Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974        234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola   I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered