26th March, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
SOS TO IG, OSUN CP: STOP
ILLEGAL CURFEW DECLARED BY ORO WORSHIPPERS IN ILE-IFE - MURIC
Oro worshippers
declared a five-hour curfew in Ile-Ife yesterday, Monday 25th March, 2024 to
take effect tomorrow, Wednesday, 27th March, 2024 from 2 pm to 7 pm.
However, an Islamic
human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the
curfew as illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional. The human
rights organization therefore sent an SOS to both the IG of Police, the Commissioner
of Police, Osun State and the Director of the Department of State Services
(DSS) in the state to disallow the curfew and uphold the rule of law.
This was contained
in a statement issued on Tuesday, 26th March, 2024 by the Executive Director of
the Islamic advocacy group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The full statement
reads:
"Oro
worshippers of the Traditional African Religion (ATR) declared a five-hour
curfew in Ile Ife yesterday, Monday 25th March, 2024. The curfew will take
effect tomorrow Wednesday, 27th March, 2024 from 2 pm to 7 pm.
"In a statement
circulated on social media in Ile Ife by O.O Dada, the Oba Isoro and Arole
Obatala, Obalesu Obatala Agbaiye, the Oro worshippers announced the
commencement of the Oro Owa Ilare festival. They warned all 'dwellers of
Ile-Ife to stay indoors' in more than half of the ancient city and cradle of Yorubaland
including Igbotapa, Ajamopo, Gbodo, Ita olopo, Oja-Ife, etc.
"This curfew is illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and
unconstitutional particularly because it was declared by those who have no
authority to do so. Leaders of Oron worshippers have no locus standi as
official authorities or an arm of government. The curfew announcement is
therefore ultra vires, null and void.
"Only the state
governor and the chairman of the local government have the power to impose a
curfew after a negative security report. The curfew imposed by Oro worshippers
in Ile-Ife is therefore illegal.
“We are therefore
sending this staterment as an SOS to both the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner
of Police, Osun State and the Director of the Department of State Services
(DSS) in the state to disallow the curfew and uphold the rule of law.
"Besides, no
religious group has the right to stop other religious groups and citizens of
this country from moving around freely or from using their places of
worship.
"The notice issued by the Oro worshippers of Ile-Ife
is therefore arbitrary, irrational and provocative. It contravenes Chapter 4
Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as
amended 2011) which stipulates that every Nigerian has the right to move freely
in any part of the country or any city.
“The curfew notice
also stands in contradistinction to Section 38 (i) & (ii) which affirms freedom of worship. It
says, ‘every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom
(either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to
manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice
and observance’. This curfew, if allowed to take place, will obstruct Muslims
in Ile-Ife from worshipping and partaking in Ramadan activities.
"The notice
issued yesterday by the Oro worshippers of Ile-Ife was essentially directed at
Muslims in particular as indicated in its title which reads, 'Special
Announcement From the House of Obatala to All Muslims and Dwellers in
Ile-Ife'.
"This is aggravated
confrontation. It smirks of a deliberate attempt to provoke Muslims in the city
to a confrontation. This is apart from placing an illegal curfew during the
sacred month of Ramadan which the whole world knows is a special period of high
level spiritual activities among Muslims. It is clear that by attempting to ban
movement during Ramadan, Oro worshippers in Ile-Ife simply wish to stop Muslims
from worshipping. It is a premeditated hostile act.
"Apart from
religious consideration, this daytime imposition of curfew from 2 pm to 7 pm
constitutes a clog in the wheel of socio-economic progress for Ile-Ife and a
threat to educational advancement. For example, school children and their male
and female teachers are expected to return home around 2 pm. The same goes for
civil servants, judiciary staff, etc. It is an invitation to chaos.
"This announcement by Oro worshippers has created
terror in the hearts of all. Without mincing words, it is domestic terrorism.
It is impunity of the highest order. It is also a deliberate challenge to the
security agencies. The traditional worshippers have been enmeshed in
lawlessness, recklessness and acts of violence all over Yorubaland in the past
and the police have not stopped them. Will the police and DSS abdicate their
responsibilities this time around?
"A good example
of past tramadolised excesses of traditional worshippers is the attack launched
by Oro worshippers last year on Muslims who were praying inside Idi Omo Mosque,
Ilare, Ile-Ife on Thursday, 30th March, 2023. Four Muslims sustained serious
injuries in that attack (https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2023/04/01/how-oro-worshippers-attacked-muslims-inside-mosque-in-ile-ife/).
"Also, one
Muslim was killed while 9 other Muslims were injured in Osogbo when masquerade
worshippers attacked Muslims holding a programme in front of their mosque
situated at Oluode Aranyin compound, Osogbo on 28th June, 2021 (https://www-vanguardngr-com.
"Again, five
Muslims were hospitalized after a vicious attack by masquerades who invaded
their mosque at Ikun Ekiti in Moba Local Government of Ekiti State on Sunday,
39th May, 2017 (https://dailytrust.com/
"We are sending an SOS to the Inspector General of
Police, the Osun State Commissioner of Police and the Director of DSS in the
state. The security agencies owe it a duty to disallow the curfew announced by
Oro worshippers against tomorrow in Ile-Ife. The rule of law must be upheld.
"As the traditional ruler and father of all in
Ile-Ife, we appeal to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, to call
the Oro worshippers to order. It is part of the law of nature that groups
pushed to the wall have the tendency to push back their oppressor.
"Just like the
rest of the country, Ile-Ife needs peace to develop and to take its rightful
place as the cradle of Yorubaland. This may remain a dream where a group is
allowed to impose acrobatic, gymnastic and articulated impunity on other
sections of the city. Muslims of Ile-Ife remain oppressed until illegal curfews
are banned."
#IGofPolice
#CPOsun
#SOSStopOroIllegalCurfewIleIfe
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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