ONDO: Masquerades attacking mosque, beating women evidence of anti-Islamic proclivities Muslims face in Yoruba Land – MURIC

By KEMI KASUMU

“We strongly condemn this attack. It is weird, irrational and barbaric. This attack is another evidence of the increased anti-Muslim proclivities which Muslims now face in Yorubaland.”

Report reaching us at The DEFENDER says some masquerades have invaded Imam’s house and mosque in Oke Agbe, Akoko, Akoko North Local Government, Ondo State.

During the invasion, they reportedly beat up the Imam’s wives and children.

In the meantime, an Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has condemned the attack, describing it as an evidence of increased anti-Muslim proclivities which Muslims now face in Yorubaland.

MURIC called for the arrest and prosecution of the culprits.

MURIC’s reaction was contained in a statement issued on Sunday, 15th June 2025, by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The group said: “Scores of masquerade traditionalists invaded the house and mosque of the Chief Imam of Oke Agbe, Akoko, Akoko North Local Government, Ondo State. They beat up the Imam’s wives and children. The unprovoked attack occurred on Thursday, 12th June 2025, in Oke Agbe Akoko, Akoko North Local Government, Ondo State.

“We strongly condemn this attack. It is weird, irrational and barbaric. This attack is another evidence of the increased anti-Muslim proclivities which Muslims now face in Yorubaland.

“To add salt to injury, the king of the town imposed fines on the Muslim victims after the attack allegedly because the Muslim women ‘screamed and cursed the masquerades while they were being beaten instead of crying and begging’.

“The Imam and his wives were therefore ordered to bring nine goats, seven sheep and 200 pieces of kolanuts as fines not later than Monday 16th June 2025 (today), or they would all be banished from the city while no one should practice Islam in the area henceforth. Nothing was said about the masquerades who attacked the women!

“MURIC regards this as a miscarriage of justice. The king’s judgement stands in contradistinction to the principles of natural justice. This is 21st-century Nigeria, and we are supposed to be in a democracy, for crying out loud. It is crude, archaic, parochial and draconian. This fine must not stand.

“We demand justice for the Muslim victims. We urge the Ondo State Government to curb the excesses of the king of Oke Agbe Akoko. Nothing must happen to the Imam, his wives and children. That banishment order must be rescinded.

“Besides, a case of assault occasioning harm has been established. We urge the Ondo State Police Command to arrest and prosecute the attackers. They are neither anonymous nor ghosts because their leaders are well known.

“We commend the police in Oke Agbe for making it possible for the Muslims to observe the Friday prayer the next day even when there were attempts to stop them.

“We implore the police to ensure that this case is not swept under the carpet. Injustice anywhere is an invitation to injustice everywhere, and the culprits in the valley today may become the helpless victims on the hills tomorrow. That is the paradoxical cycle of injustice.

“The masquerades of Oke Agbe have just confirmed our fears about the fate of Muslims in the Southwest. Yorubaland has become another Siberia for Yoruba Muslims. It is persecution galore. The number of cases reported to MURIC on a daily basis is alarming.

“Yoruba Muslims face political marginalisation via deprivation of political appointments at both federal and state levels. They are impoverished by economic strangulation through the denial of jobs.

“A robust curriculum vitae coupled with a Muslim name is a sure way to join the army of unemployed youths in Yorubaland. The statistics are staggering.

“Yoruba Muslim students are traumatised by educational repression by denying them admission to study attractive courses like medicine, engineering, accountancy, etc.

“They are downpressed with social ostracisation by treating them with contempt and constantly violating their Allah-given fundamental human rights.

“All the noise about religious tolerance in the Southwest are mere political statements, sheer rhetorics and empty propaganda. Yoruba Muslims have never been integrated into the mainstream Yoruba society.

“These are the issues Yoruba nation activists and some Southwest governments are trying to run away from.”