18th December, 2019
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC TACKLES LAGOS TRAFFIC WARDENS (LASTMA)
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has tackled the Lagos State
Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) for infringing on the religious rights of the
agency’s Muslim officers who are currently undergoing training in Idimu, Lagos.
According to the human rights group, LASTMA authorities breached the
fundamental human rights of Muslims by disallowing them from observing congregational prayers in the camp during the recent Induction
Course 10 held at the Four Square International Conference Centre, Idimu, Lagos
State.
This was revealed to newsmen in a press statement issued by the director
of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, 18th December,
2019.
According to MURIC, “We learnt
about this ugly situation through the media (https://muslimnews.com.ng/2019/12/17/exposed-how-lastma-violated-muslim-officers-rights/) and we know from experience
that we have to move quickly in order to douse tension. We are dismayed by what
LASTMA authorities are alleged to have done. Can it be true? In the first
place, why did a whole government agency pick the premises of a religious group
to train its officers? Why were Draconian rules rolled out over the use of the
same religious premises for people of another faith. Why pick such a place ab
initio if harsh and repressive conditionalities were going to be applied?
“About ten Muslim officers were alleged to have attempted to pray in an
open space within the premises. Some Christian colleagues who saw them reported
to the commander. They were all summoned and interrogated and in the end LASTMA
commander was reported to have threatened to deal seriously with the Muslim
officers for daring to observe Muslim prayer in a church premises. There are fears
that their appointments may be terminated or they would be dismissed.
“We in MURIC declare that it had better not be. Lagos is the centre of
excellence and there is respect for the rule of law. Lagos respects citizens’
rights. The state government has also been propagating and actively promoting
peaceful co-existence among the different religious groups in the state. So we
do not see how the commander’s alleged threat can become a fait accompli.
“We want to hear from LASTMA. We
are keen on knowing their side of the story. We repeat: it had better not be.
Nobody has the right to stop Muslims from worshipping Allah just as no one has
the right to stop Christians from worshipping Jesus. It should be added that
Muslim mode of worship cannot be curtailed by any homo sapien. We are saying
this because we heard that the officials said Muslims in the camp should pray
individually and not in congregation. That is nauseating, nonsensical and
unacceptable.
“This is another moment of truth. The choice of the Four Square Church
premises for LASTMA induction course 2019 has exposed the hypocrisy of those
who claim that there is religious tolerance in the South West. We declare that
such a claim is false and misleading. What happens in the South West is that
individuals who belong to different faiths but who live in the same houses or
work in the same places tolerate themselves because they belong to the same
families or because they know each other. Besides, fate has brought them
together under the same roof or in the same workplace.
“But religious institutions have remained enstranged from each other and
sometimes bitterly hostile towards one another. That is why there have been
instances whereby religious rivalry has taken the driving seat and intolerance
has threatened the peace in Yorubaland.
“Examples of such instances include the LASTMA-Four-Square-Church saga
above, the Hijab-Church-choir-gown-and-masquerade-dress imbroglio in the State
of Osun schools, the molestation of hijab-wearing female Muslim students by
overzealous Christian teachers in Lagos State schools, election registration
and identity card officials who compel Muslims to remove their hijabs, caps and
turbans before ‘capturing’, etc.
“It is noteworthy that both the
perpetrators and the victims in the above examples are of Yoruba stock. There
was no single Northerner among them. Yet the Christians in the examples were
determined to deprive the Muslims of their Allah-given fundamental human
rights. The idea of religious tolerance among the Yoruba is therefore a myth, a
mirage and a tale by moonlight.
“The above examples also showcase the sufferings of Yoruba Muslims in
the hands of their fellow Yoruba who are Christians, particularly in the hands
of Christians who occupy official positions. Muslims are told point-blank, ‘This
is not Sokoto…Go to Kano if you want to use hijab…’ Yet Nigeria has only one
constitution.
“We in MURIC will like to know
if Yoruba Christians have any grudges against Yoruba Muslims, any allegation at
all, anything Yoruba Muslims have done to hurt Yoruba Christians. This question
is another angle to our choice of dialogue in interfacing with our Christian neighbours.
We have listed our allegations against you (see above), now tell us, what have
we done to hurt you?
“MURIC is putting the Federal Government as well as all state
governments in the South West on notice. Enough of the deception about the existence
of religious tolerance in Yorubaland. The spate of persecution of Muslims in
the South West has reached its highest crescendo. Although the perpetrators are
aware that they are breaking the law, they have been emboldened by the fact
that no one has ever been held accountable by the authorities.
“If anyone is still in doubt,
the tactical withdrawal by the highest law institution in the land from any
legal tussle arising from and approval of the use of hijab for Amasa Firdaus
and, by deduction, for all future law graduates called to bar, is enough to
convince doubting Thomases that the use of hijab is lawful, legitimate and
constitutional. But not for Christian officials in Yorubaland. They will seize
every single opportunity to oppress Muslims. Yet they claim that there is
religious tolerance in the South West.
“In this regard, MURIC advises the Lagos State Government to withdraw
the hijab case from the Supreme Court as a mark of respect for the prestigious
Law School and the highly respected Body of Benchers. If these two legal
institutions deem it fit to allow a graduand who defied all decorum on account
of her hijab to be called to bar eventually, Lagos needs to put on another
thinking cap, namely, the cap of real, genuine and undiluted religious tolerance.
This cap will truly fit Lagos as the center of excellence primus inter
pareil.
“Press statements are an extension of dialogue and MURIC will continue
to explore this and other peaceful means of resolving issues. We want peace in
Lagos State in particular and Nigeria in general. Our vision of
Nigeria is that of a nation where people live together in peace and harmony, a
nation in which no one is oppressed, where every citizen enjoys Allah-given
fundamental human rights regardless of class, creed, or ethnicity. But we all
must tow the path of justice to ensure this happens because justice is the soul
of peace. No one can deny one and enjoy the other.
“We therefore invite the Lagos State Government to quickly
intervene in the conflict at the ongoing LASTMA induction programme at the Four
Square International Conference Centre before it escalates. We demand a probe
into circumstances surrounding the choice of a church premises for the training
of LASTMA officials when it is well known that there are non-Christians among
them. We demand immediate halt to the irrational rules in the camp for those in
this second batch which will
end on Sunday 22nd December, 2019.
“We charge LASTMA authorities to provide a place within the premises
where the Muslims can observe their congregational prayers or move the training
venue out of a church premises immediately in the interest of peace. We demand
the relocation of the training ground to a neutral place for subsequent batches.
The remaining streames should not be held in any church, mosque or shrine
premises. A neutral venue must be found. Lastly, we appeal to Muslims
throughout the country to remain calm and law-abiding.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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