23rd May,
2023
PRESS RELEASE:
AK-47 PASTOR
: MURIC DEMANDS ACTION
A call has gone to
the security agencies to update Nigerians on the action taken against the AK47-wielding
Abuja pastor, Uche Aigbe, who openly brandished a gun on the altar in his House
on the Rock church, Abuja, this year.
Making the call on
Tuesday, 23rd May, 2023 was the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola. According to him, Nigerians are
beginning to suspect that the matter had been swept under the carpet. He
therefore called on the security agencies to speak up on the issue.
His full statement
reads :
“An Abuja pastor,
Uche Aigbe, brought an AK-47 rifle to his House on the Rock Church on Sunday,
12th February, 2023. By so doing, he caused a stir not only inside
the church but nationwide. Although he was later arrested by the police and
arraigned in court, Nigerians did not hear anything about the matter afterwards
(https://punchng.com/tension-as-abuja-pastor-brings-ak-47-to-altar/).
“The Muslim Rights Concern is tremendously concerned
about the threat posed by this ugly development and the impact which his sensational
action has had on church goers all over the country. Pastor Uche Aigbe laid an
extremely bad example which may have been picked up by Christian youths.
“While we commend
the police for steps taken to apprehend the pastor and charge him to court, we
believe that followup actions are more important. It is the followup actions
that will give assurance to the people that the matter has not been forgotten. It
will also mitigate the fear of many. The judiciary rarely operate public
relations but the police who took the case to court should speak up. Nigerians
want to know about the progress made on the matter, if any.
“We must not pretend that the pastor’s action did not
raise fears in certain groups, particularly among Muslims. It may have aroused
suspicion about the existence of secret armories in church underground warehouses
and tunnels. This may also have been fueled by stories of several cache of arms
discovered by customs officials at the boarders in the past years.
“Exempli gratia,
a huge cache of weapons was uncovered at Tin Can Island, Lagos on 20th
September, 2017. This was barely one week after 1,100 pump action rifles were
seized at the port (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/09/20/customs-intercepts-another-cache-of-arms-at-tin-can-port/).
“In October 2009, a
large quantity of arms and ammunition was found concealed in a 40-feet
container in Apapa, Lagos by the same Tin Can command. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/customs-seizes-arms-cache/).
Again on 12th January, 2022, the Kwara State command of the Nigerian
customs intercepted another cache of arms and ammunition worth over one million
naira (https://tribuneonlinengcom/customs-seizes-large-cache-of-arms-in-kwara/).
“Equally bewildering is the report of the
existence of Christian militia in some states of the Middle Belt region (https://tribuneonlineng.com/middle-belt-group-says-military-operation-in-the-region-commendable/).
“This is why we
would like the security agencies to extend their investigation beyond the
surface even as the case proceeds in court. Pastor Uche Aigbe has stirred the
hornet’s nest. Investigation into the source of his AK-47 must lead to a
logical conclusion. His narrative of having gotten the gun from the police
security at the church is a cock and bull story. The Ak-47 which he brought to
church may have been hidden. He has accomplices and the police detail may be
one of them. Nigerians want to know the truth.
“This is a matter of serious national security concern.
The action of this AK-47 pastor may encourage Christians to start arming
themselves and that is if they have not done that already. Pastor Uche Aigbe’s
action may have been a coded message to Christians in the country. It is creating
tension and generating fear among the populace.
“Equally noteworthy is the fact that the pastor took up
arms close to the presidential election of 25th February, 2023. We
are surprised that the security agencies are yet to see the nexus between the religious
halo which surrounded the Muslim-Muslim ticket, the ‘religious war’ referred to
by the Labour Party presidential candidate and the AK47 rifle wielded by Pastor
Uche Aigbe at the House on the Rock Church.
“We will be more
surprised if the security agencies will allow the AK47-Pastor to walk freely
into Eagle Square, venue of the presidential inauguration on 29th
May, 2023, less than a week from today. Nigerians will be more comfortable if he
is kept under microscopic watch or, better still, under lock and key until the ceremony
is over.
“Nigeria’s security problem
will not be solved until the major stakeholders stop treating signs of sickness
instead of the real ailment. The ailment is the root of the signs. It is the
cause of the signs which we see and the sick will not get any cure until we
treat the disease itself. It is the same with security matters. The root causes
must be addressed in order to stem security threats. Pastor Uche Aigbe’s AK47
has become a root cause of religiously motivated gun attacks.
“We charge the press
to live up to its bidding by showing the same interest shown in cases involving
Christians in those involving Muslims too. We are miffed by the silence of the
Fourth Estate of the Realm over this pastor who came brandishing a
sophisticated weapon in the house of God. All hell would have been let loose if
an Imam had done half of this. The press would not have allowed the authorities
to rest until justice has been done. He who comes to equity must come with
clean hands.
“MURIC demands action in the case of the AK-47-wielding pastor.
We are no longer safe. The security agencies must up their game. They must also
open up on the issue. An AK-47 rifle can only be licensed by the president of Nigeria.
We appeal to the judiciary not to toy with the matter because Nigerians have
great interest in it.”
#NigerianPolice #ActionAK47Pastor
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Executive Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC)
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