One week after the brutal murder of a pregnant Muslim woman, Harira Jubril and her four kids by the terror group, the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Anambra State, no arrest has been made despite Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s promise to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
Muslim News had reported how Harira, 32, was gunned down by the terror group alongside her four kids, identified as Fatima, 9; Khadijah, 7; Hadiza, 5 and Zaituna, 2, on Sunday, May 12 in Isulo, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.
Their gruesome murder sparked reactions from Muslim individuals and organisations who strongly condemned the evil act and raised concerns over what they termed “selective condemnation” from notable international organisations and human rights activists in Nigeria.
Despite the outrage that trailed the release of the gory video of their murder on social media, the news was conspicuously missing in many Nigerian media for days, except for Daily Trust, an Abuja-based national newspaper who splashed it on the cover of its Tuesday, May 14, edition with the banner headline; “IPOB kills woman, 4 kids, 6 other Northerners in Anambra”.
Mal. Ahmed Jubril, the deceased’s husband, in an interview with BBC News Pidgin described the incident as his worst life experience, saying that his late wife’s pregnancy had reached 9 months and she was supposed to give birth this week (last week), before her death.
“I have lost everything in this world, my wife and four children, all gone just like that. This is the worst thing any person would experience in life,” he lamented.
Other media, who later published the gruesome murder of Harira and her children, claimed that they were killed by “unknown gunmen,” but witnesses insisted that it was the handiwork of IPOB, the outlawed terror group, who had heightened its attacks on non-indigenes, especially the northern Muslims, including symbols of authority.
The terror group, IPOB, which was designated by the FG in 2017, has not denied or accepted responsibility for the killing of Harira, and her four Children, Muslim News findings have revealed.
No arrest yet, but investigation ongoing – Police
Speaking with Muslim News on Monday, the spokesperson of the Anambra Police Command, Ikenganyia Anthony said no arrest has been made, adding that investigation is still ongoing.
“We have not made any arrest but investigation is ongoing. Nigerians should give us time to unmask the identity of the perpetrators of the crime. Our plan is strategic because the aim is for us to get the people who committed this crime.
“Crime is crime. Whatever umbrella anybody uses to perpetrate it. We will make them pay dearly for it,” he assured.
Meanwhile, more Muslim organisations such as the Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), South Eastern Muslim Organisation of Nigeria (SEMON), and Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit, have joined other Muslim bodies to condemn the dastardly act, demanding justice for the late Harira and her four children, who were buried on Wednesday, May 25, according to Islamic rites.
Declare state of emergency in South Eastern States, Igbo Muslim group
The South Eastern Muslim Organisation of Nigeria (SEMON) has condemned the incessant killings of its members, particularly those of northern extraction, thereby calling on the federal government to declare state of emergency in the southeastern states.
The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Suleiman Afikpo and Publicity Secretary, Yahya Faruq Abugu, said the victims were brutally murdered for no other reason other than that they are Muslims.
The statement read in part, “The only reason they were targeted and killed in the most cruel manner is that they wore the head cover (hijab) showing that they are Muslims. As expected, the killings never made any headlines or raise any conversation of proportional condemnation in the Nation’s conventional or social media.
“Whereas, if such brutal killing of innocent children alongside their pregnant mother was to be committed in any Muslim majority state, it would have been tagged Islamic religious act and the media would have figuratively caught fire. The leadership of South Eastern Muslim Organisation of Nigeria is amazed at this double standards and unjust umpiring of the media in Nigeria.
“An unjustified and barbaric killing remains one that should be condemned irrespective of who and where it was carried out.”
The South Eastern Muslim Organisation of Nigeria said the killing of Harira and her children in cold blood without any provocation is one in a million killings the Muslims in southeastern communities are faced with, adding that, “Such heinous crimes are often times swept the under the carpet by the Nigerian media.”
The group therefore called on the FG, governors of the southeastern states and the security agencies, including the Ohaneze Indigbo, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, to live up to their duties with condemnations and appropriate actions to prevent a looming doom on our people in the name of religion.
“Just like the Igbos are everywhere in the world conducting their lives and looking for livelihood in peaceful and legitimate means, other groups, particularly the northern Muslims should be allowed to live in Igboland and conduct their businesses peacefully.
“Igbos throng in millions to the north and other parts of the world where Islam is predominated, they are not killed or denied means of livelihood on the account of their tribe or religion. There are avalanche of evidence of Igbo men and women who have stayed and made fortunes in Hausa, Arabian and Islamic lands and countries. They were not Islamized, neither were they killed nor denied on the account of their being Igbos and christians. So, why should we Igbos, then deny, chase out or even kill a Muslim living peacefully in our land and seeking legitimate earnings. The person having committed no sin other than that he or she being a Muslim,” it read in part.
It’s shameful that killers haven’t been prosecuted, MSSN says
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, who also condemned the murder, said it’s shameful that the killers of the northern Muslim family have not been identified, arrested and prosecuted more than seven days after the killing became public knowledge.
The Amir (president) of the MSSN in Lagos State, Miftahudeen Thanni, in a statement, described the recent spate of killings in the country as unfortunate, saying that children are at the receiving end.
He said, “That the situation of Nigeria will degenerate to this is unthinkable. Wiping out a family is callous, inhumane and animalistic.
It’s shameful that seven days after the incident happened, no arrest, no prosecution. For how long will criminals continue to walk freely in our nation? These are the worst times for our children and youths. The Nigerian situation is tiring.
“By now, we expect that all those involved should have been arrested and tried. There should be no ethnic or religious colouration of crimes and punishment of criminals. We pray that Allah descends peace, tranquillity and unity in Nigeria so that we shall all be proud of the nation.”
The Muslim student leader also commiserated with the family of the deceased and prayed God will admit them into paradise.
While warning against reprisal attacks, Thanni also condemned the killing of a Christian in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy.
He said, “We implore the youth and citizens, in general, to be law-abiding, peace-loving and tolerant always. We should all learn from the incident that happened in Sokoto where a female student was regrettably killed.
“The actions of the killers do not represent Islam. The gruesome murder of the student in Sokoto is unlawful and un-Islamic. Islam is a religion of peace and denounces terrorism, injustice and jungle justice at any rate. We urge the youths to be calm and tolerant whenever they see things that displease them.
“The right thing to do is to report to the appropriate authorities.
“It is also unacceptable to blaspheme in all religions, however, if this occurs, it is not an opportunity to do jungle justice. Government must ensure that this ugly incident does not repeat itself as stiffer measures should be melted on people doing jungle justice and those that blaspheme.
“It is more painful that the condemnable act happened among students who should know better. The action of the students who killed their colleagues defeats the purpose of education.”
Killing capable of inciting ethnic, religious violence – Muslim media body
The Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) has condemned in strong terms the killing of an innocent pregnant Muslim woman and her children, describing it barbaric, brutish and capable of inciting ethnic and religious violence across the country.
The association, in a statement signed by its National President, Allhaji AbdurRahman Balogun, therefore joined other notable groups and individuals to call on security agencies to fish out, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of the heinous act in the interest of justice.
The statement read in part, “MMPN task all men of conscience, human and women rights critics and in particular the British Government and United Nations to condemn the ugly incident with the same energy they condemned other killings in Nigeria, especially in the north.
“Allah says in Qur’an 4 verse 93: ‘Whoever kills a believer deliberately, the penalty for him is Hell, where he will remain forever. And God will be angry with him, and will curse him, and will prepare for him a terrible punishment.- Surah , An-Nisa (The Women) [4]:93′”, he added.
Spate of killings should be urgently addressed by FG – NASFAT
The Chief Missioner of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society, NASFAT, Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike in his submission, also condemned the murder of the Muslim family, urging the federal government of Nigeria to urgently address the threatening insecurity in Nigeria.
Onike stated this in a statement on Monday, noting that the insecurity situation is making some Nigerians to start feeling unsafe in the part of Nigeria they have chosen to settle, whereas, every Nigerian is expected to have a right to live anywhere in the country without any fear of molestation or risk to his life, family members and properties.
Since when have we drifted this far? he quips, “a situation that make lives to be valueless to the extent of taking a fellow human being’s life without a qualm.”
He said further, “according to our scripture, one murder is equal to killing the whole humanity, Allah says, “whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.”(Q5:32)
“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is Hell; he shall abide in it, and Allah will send His wrath on him and curse him and prepare for him a painful chastisement.” (Q4:93)
Onike urged every well-meaning Nigerian to condemn the killing of Hajia Harira and similar murders of innocent Nigerians in multiple states, and to join hands in pleading with the government to increase efforts in ensuring security of life and property, adding that we must all condemn the gruesome murder of this innocent woman and her four children
