• They wielded dangerous weapons, dragged us like criminals, victims write Police
• MURIC seeks justice as CAN sanctions erring pastor, pleads for leniency
There was unrest and palpable fear on Sunday, June 16 at Oke Imuse Iseyin, Oyo State, when soldiers hired by the Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church in the community, Busari Stephen, fiercely attacked a Muslim man, Abdul Azeez Sulaiman and brutalized his two wives, Nafeesah Imran and Ajarat Razaq, who are in purdah.
The soldiers, led by the Pastor’s son, Damilola Stephen, on the faithful day stormed the residential home of the victims at Olobide Villa on Eid-Al-Adha and attacked them with dangerous weapons shortly after they returned from the Eid (praying) ground.
In a widely circulating video obtained by Muslim News, the victims narrated how the soldiers bombarded their home with knives, batons, sharp rods among others, adding that they forced their way into the premises which was locked, battered the husband severally and dragged one of the wives, who is heavily pregnant, while the other wife’s head was smashed.
https://x.com/muslimnews_NG/status/1804993352036708697?t=mabep5VTKzK4tAMrIfrAyw&s=19
The unfortunate incident has sparked reactions on social media with Muslim organizations, human rights bodies and individuals strongly condemning the attack on the innocent Muslim family on the day of celebration of their biggest festival.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) described the unfortunate attack as “an unjust, callous and inhuman behavior on the part of the 20 soldiers”, thereby calling on the Nigerian Army to fish out the soldiers for attacking innocent Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Saturday 22nd June, 2024 by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organisation demanded justice for the victims, saying, “We call on the army to investigate, apprehend and punish the belligerent military personnel involved in this atrocity without unnecessary delays. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
The statement reads:
“We are in possession of video clips and the picture of one of the 20 soldiers who broke the heads of a Muslim woman in purdah and that of her husband and inflicted serious injuries on other Muslims.
“In addition, the soldiers seized a little child, cut open his hand with a knife and took him away. It was one of the chiefs of Iseyin (the Ikolaba of Iseyin) who went to beg the soldiers before the child was released later. This is preposterous, barbaric and unacceptable. We demand justice.
“The incident occurred on Salah day, 16th June, 2024. The Muslim family was attacked as they prepared to slaughter their Salah ram on that day. The pastor of a church located opposite their house protested that the ram was placed in a position facing the church and immediately mobilised his congregation who invited soldiers from the barracks.
It was learnt that there has been a misunderstanding between the Muslim family and the church over noise pollution over which the king of Iseyin had intervened.
“MURIC is aware that the Nigerian military authorities have maintained a good reputation among patriotic and truth-loving Nigerians mainly because they do not shield the bad eggs among them.
We remind the army that this is another brutal attack on innocent civilian Muslims involved in a quarrel with a church. How can soldiers descend so heavily and so mercilessly on a poor and innocent Muslim family?
Meanwhile, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Oyo State said it has sanctioned the pastor and the church for terrorising the Muslim family in Iseyin.
Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, Apostle Sunday Ogundairo, CAN chairman in Iseyin Local Government Area said the Christian body has gone pleading with the Muslim leaders in the town.
He added that the pastor has been sanctioned by CAN.
“I have gone round pleading with the Islamic scholars in Iseyin. They should please soft-pedal their annoyance. It is glaring that the man (pastor) was guilty. CAN in Iseyin has also sanctioned the pastor and ordered him to look for another place to locate his church.
“The case started since last year and we have always settled the issue before the one which happened on Sunday”, he said.
Apostle Ogundairo assured that talks are ongoing with the Muslim community to ensure that peace is maintained.
“The suspects are already boasting that nobody or authority can bring them to book because they are powerful.. There are reliable witnesses and veritable proofs to establish the allegations contained in this petition against the suspects in the court of law and our clients are ready for the litigation,” the lawyers to the victims, added.
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AlihamduliLah Robil Alamin. A big thank you to Muric for taking the case up. Justice must be served and the culprit must be punished. If we allowed this to Slide another pastor will still do thesame. May Almighty Allah grant us Victory over the terrorist Aameen
The similar one happened At Dugbe were Alhji isa Akindele caution them on the Edhi
I don’t know why this keeps happening
Why south west Muslim must be careful now
Why all this from christian, look at what is happening now,if we retaliate comes out from Muslim you people will be shouting, they want to Islamize Nigeria, the whole world is looking now , let’s wait and see what will comes out from the Nigeria army authority.Which one is religion of WAR among the two religion now?
Sanctions!
We don’t need their sanctions
Leniency my foot!
We want justice!!!
Muslim oppression is becoming daily occurrence in Nigeria.. Especially in this southwest.
Unfortunately, the hypocritical local and international media outlets keep giving opposite and biased news of christians in Nigeria been oppressed,killed e.t.c
This is a propaganda that must be openly given volume.
Thanks to Muslims new anyway.
They were not lenient when they brutally attacked the family but want leniency when justice is to be served. Hypocrites
Why do some certain Christians tend to be so stupid, silly to attack an innocent Muslim just like that.
They should be brought to justice and dealt with immediately.
The 20 so called soldiers should be striped off and punished, 5 years in jail for acting so stupid and inhumane.
Christians are the ones terrorising the country, what’s there problem with us, there speaker will not allow us to have a sound sleep in our own house, they won’t allow us to enjoy our journey with there noise in the public bus. Can Muslim be doing this? I’m sure they would have protested long ago. Please MURIC should not allow this to sky. May Allah ease our affairs and grant us victory over the kufars.