Masquerades attack on Ekiti mosque provocative to Yoruba Muslims – MURIC

*Says attackers take cue from Fayose’s hostility against Ekiti Muslims

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the attack by masquerades on the Central Mosque, Ikun Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Tuesday May 30 as provocative to Yoruba Muslims.

The Muslim rights group said it strongly condemned the attack on peace-loving and law-abiding Muslims, adding that, “It is most barbaric, most provocative and highly unacceptable.”

It would be recalled that some masquerades reportedly attacked Muslims inside the Central Mosque in Ikun Ekiti, an incident, which occurred around 7 pm in the evening when the Muslims had just broken their fast and they were observing the Maghrib prayer.

Several worshippers were said to have been injured while some of them were hospitalized after the attack. Two cars parked outside the mosque were damaged. The mosque also suffered damage.

MURIC, in a statement on Wednesday signed by his Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, ventilating its dismay over the unfortunate incident in a state governed by an elected governor to protect the interest of all religious people, said the attacks could not be isolated from the attitude of Governor Ayodele Fayose.

“This attack cannot be isolated from the hostile and belligerent attitude of the governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, towards Muslims in the state as well as their mosques. We are inclined to declare that the masquerades who attacked Muslims inside their mosques in Ikun Ekiti took the cue from the governor’s open hostility towards Ekiti Muslims and his determination to destroy mosques in the state. It is already clear that Fayose has declared Muslims in the state as persona non grata and their mosques legitimate targets for destruction.

“MURIC therefore charges the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to wade into the matter before the total breakdown of law and order in the state. We demand immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits. This will discourage reprisal attacks by those who feel that they have been victimized,” it said.