Ife Mosque Attack: Group writes commissioner for police, demands justice, News Live Nigeria reports.
A human rights group, Ta’awunu Human Rights Initiative, THURIST has written the Osun state commissioner for police, condemning the attack by a group of Oro traditional worshippers at Idi Omoh, Ilare, Ile Ife in which the Imam and other Muslims praying in their mosque were fatally injured.
The group condemned and expressed dissatisfaction over the incompetence, nonchalant and complacency of the Osun State Commissioner for Police to the Security of lives and properties of Muslims in Osun State as the chief law enforcement officer of the State.
In a release signed by its Director General, Barristee Sulaymon A. Tadese, the group demanded a thorough investigation into the provocation by persons who think they have more right than others under guise of traditional worshippers, stating that the Ede, Iwo and now Ile Ife incidences are one too many.
The release with the title, IFE MOSQUE ATTACK: PROOF OF COMPLACENCY AND INCOMPETENCE OF THE OSUN STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, reads:
“The Ta’awunu Human Rights Initiative THURIST frowns at attack on Muslims at a Mosque in Ile Ife.
The human rights group had received a report of a coordinated attack on a group of Muslim faithful in their in mosque in the holy month of Ramadan.
We had been informed of how a group of Muslim faithful who were observing the last segment of the Five obligatory Muslim prayers in their mosque on Thursday, 30th March, 2023 at around 4:30pm in the evening were attacked by a group of Oro traditional worshippers at Idi Omoh, Ilare, Ile Ife in which the Imam and other Muslims praying in the said mosque were fatally injured for offence of not obeying Oro curfew.
The Human Rights group does not only condemn this despicable act in the strongest term on Muslims in their own Mosque and the subsequent wanton destruction of the Mosque properties within the premises but also express dissatisfaction over the incompetence, nonchalant and complacency of the Osun State Commissioner of Police to the Security of lives and properties of Muslims in Osun State as the chief law enforcement officer of the State.
We recall that similar infractions were had in Ede and Iwo during a public air lecture sometimes last year 2022. Continuance of these unprovoked attacks on peace loving Muslims is an invitation to chaos.
However, the Human Rights group demands a thorough investigation into this provocation by persons who think they have more right than others under guise of traditional worshippers. The Ede, Iwo and now Ile Ife incidences are one too many.
The state commissioner of police is given a seven day ultimatum to cause an immediate arrest, arraignment and prosecution of perpetrators of this criminal act of public disturbance and attempted murder of peaceful people contrary to the law of the land.
Freedom of religion is constitutionally guaranteed as encapsulated even in the African Charter of People and Human Rights.
We shall keep track of this matter until Justice is done and served.”