Viewers’ discretion: Muslim Community releases names, pictures of 10 victims of IPOB killing in Port Harcourt

The Port Harcourt Muslim community has revealed the identities of ten of their members who were reportedly murdered by an outlawed group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at different locations in Rivers State.

Muslim News had earlier reported how ten Muslims died while several others sustained various degrees of injuries during the attacks that rocked places such as Oil Mill Market, Rumukushi, Oyigbo, Eleme, among others, between Tuesday and Wednesday, October 20-21.

The son of the Seriki Hausa community at Eleme, Alhaji Attahiru Shittu was among three victims allegedly burnt beyond recognition by the outlawed terrorist group.

To further ascertain their claims, the bereaved community compiled and exclusively released the names of the victims to Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper, established to give special media attention and coverage to important people and events in the life of Muslims that do not gain attention in the mainstream media.

The Nigerian Muslims had accused the media of not giving the series of mortal attacks on their brethren befitting coverage on their respective media, the same way they would have done, if it were to be members of other tribal and religious persuasions.

While thanking Muslim News for the coverage, the Imam of Trailer park Central Mosque, Alhaji Akilu Muhammad said the victims corpses, ten in number, were discovered and retrieved at different locations in Port Harcourt.

He said, apart from Yahya Shittu (1), the son of the Seriki Hausa community at Eleme, who was burnt at Eleme junction, two other corpses (Adamu Bello and Amadu Bello) were recovered on Sunday inside Boro pit.

There remaining seven victims are:

4. Sulaiman Dan Lafiya Killed and burnt at Obibo
5. Ibrahim Abdullahi killed and burnt at Irebehe
6. Idris Bello killed at Irebehe, Oyigbo
7. Isa Kaki ‘no be leather’ killed at Irebehe Oyigbo
8. Abubakar Me turare killed at Rumuokwrushi
9. Isiyaka Ibrahim killed at Rumuokwurushi.

Alhaji Akilu confirmed that nine victims had been buried in accordance to the Islamic rite, adding that, “The corpse of the last victim, which is no 10, Babangida Sulaiman, couldn’t be found because he was thrown into the river.”

The spokesman of the Muslim community appreciated the Commissioner of Police and 2ic Mopol 56 who assisted them with team of gallant officers to rescue some of their members from imminent attacks from the IPOB members.

“With the help of the police and the Mopol, we were able to rescue a woman and her two children at Afam. We also saved a police officer’s wife, whose identity was kept secret. Names of 12 people we rescued and their details are highlighted below:

1. Aliyu Abubakar
2. Abdullahi Adamu
3. Abdullahi Ahmadu
4. Usman Musa
5. Yakubu Umar
6. Isyaku Sulaiman
7. Hassan Aminu
8. Hassan Sulaiman
9. Sanni Shittu
10. Abdullahi Usman
11. Idris Umaru
12. Sulaiman Hassan

The community called on the Muslims in Nigeria and across the world to come to their aid and support the no fewer than 2000 Muslims who have turned internally displaced persons at Oil Mill Kara (Cattle Market).

Here is the account details to support the community: Islamic Education and Propagation Committee 0024025781 Union Bank.

Imam Akilu called on the Muslims to be calm and remain law abiding, saying that Islam is a religion of peace and do not allow reprisal, even though our properties have been destroyed.