27th January 2020
PRESS RELEASE:
LET AMOTEKUN EMBRACE ALL
Sequel to the resolution of the governors of the South West to give a
legal backing to the Amotekun security outfit, the Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC) has called on the governors of the South West to allow the re-branded security
agency to embrace all citizens living in the sub-region. MURIC also advised
that the new security organization should not lean towards any religion or
target any ethnic group for victimization.
The call was made on Monday 27th January, 2020 in a press
statement issued by the director of the human rights organization, Professor
Ishaq Akintola.
The statement further added:
“No homo sapien compos mentis living in Yorubaland will oppose
the setting up of a security outfit to complement the existing security
agencies on ground (the army, police, NNDC, DSS, etc). We all want lives and properties
secured all over Nigeria. That is why people living on every street have
security arrangements in place while some individuals also have both day and
night guards in their private offices and homes.
“It is therefore mischievous to
give the impression that Muslims are against the South West security initiative.
No reasonable Nigerian today will frown at attempts to boost security in any
part of the country. What we oppose is the religious and ethnic tinge which the
handlers gave Amotekun.
“You cannot blame Muslims for crying out when you ask them to bring
birth certificates from churches before joining Amotekun. Neither can you
expect them to stand akimbo when you tell them to bring letters of
recommendation from churches. Muslims in the Yoruba enclave are not opposing
Amotekun per se. What they oppose is a situation where a ostensibly
anti-Islam security outfit comes into operation in Yorubaland.
“Apart from the reference to birth certificates from churches and
letters of reference from pastors, the choice of nomenclature is another controversial
issue because it has a strong Christian identity. Why ‘Amotekun’ as a name for
crying out loud? Research has revealed the biblical origin of this name and it
makes Muslims suspicious. Why Amotekun of all brands?
“Jeremiah 5:6 says, ‘A leopard
shall guard over their city’. Amotekun is mentioned in this verse with
particular reference to guarding a city. Now, we have a sub-region where
Muslims have been under persecution for ages coming up with a security outfit
under the name of the same leopard mentioned in the bible as a guard over the
city. This is not a coincidence. The handlers of Amotekun picked the name
deliberately from the bible in order to score a spiritual point. It is very
critical. It calls for serious concern. So why give a security unit a religious
name?
“We advise the planners of the new
security outfit to give it another name in the interest of peace and harmony in
the sub-region. This is necessary if they want to carry all stakeholders along.
Amotekun as a name is already controversial. We do not need a Christian
security unit. Neither do we need a Muslim security outfit. The security agency
in the South West must not only be neutral, it must also be seen to be neutral.
“We affirm that Muslims form the
majority in the population of the South West. They are therefore critical stakeholders
and the unity of the Yoruba cannot become fait accompli without involving
the Muslims in the sub-region. Muslims must be carried along in any security
network in the zone. We are interested in security. We are security conscious.
We will therefore join a South West security initiative if it is not tainted
with Christian landmarks. We will have confidence in a security outfit that
involves Muslim leaders, not one that parades pastors, bishops and archbishops
alone.
“It
must also be noted that a security group that starts with subtle threats to our
brethren in faith in another part of the country cannot be safe for Muslims in
Yorubaland. There is no racism or tribalism in Islam (Qur’an 49:13). It is a
global brotherhood. Yoruba Muslims love Yorubaland. They also love Nigeria. But
they owe their Creator, Allah, an unflinching and undiluted love towards their
brothers and sisters in Islam no matter their race, tribe or colour. From Allah
we came and unto Allah we shall return. On that Day, nobody will be judged on
the basis of his tribe but on the basis of his deeds on earth. Nonetheless, we
believe in a united Nigeria and we will support a security unit that
constitutes no threat to any tribe in the country, be it Igbo, Fulani, Ijaw, or
Tiv.
“However, the latest assurance coming from certain quarters that birth
certificates from churches and letters of reference from pastors was not part
of the original pre-requisites is most welcome. MURIC will support any security
arrangement anywhere in Nigeria so long as such arrangement is devoid of gymnastic
religiousity and acrobatic ethnicity.
“In addition, the organisers of Amotekun must desist from attempts to
intimidate perceived opponents of the scheme. Leaders of the group must caution
their foot-soldiers against excesses. They must distance themselves from arm-twisting
gimmicks like deliberately misinterpreting statements made by people who oppose
the Amotekun idea.
“For instance, MURIC has very strong
evidence that some elements in the Amotekun camp have issued death threats to its
leader. That is unacceptable. It is an attempt to silence opposition. All
opinions must be allowed in a democracy. That is freedom of speech. Those who
attempt to muzzle opinions give the impression that they have hidden agenda. It
presupposes that the Amotekun security project will be biased and unprofessional
when it finally comes on board. We refuse to be intimidated. It changes nothing
in our stand and style of advocacy.
“In a nutshell, as the organisers deliberate on the legal framework to
back the complementary security project in the South West, we advise that such
legal framework includes a clause that lays emphasis on religious neutrality,
security for all citizens residing in Yorubaland regardless of their ethnic
background and a new name which is acceptable to all faiths.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
No comments:
Post a Comment