By KEMI KASUMU
The Osun State Muslim Community (OSMC) has made its position known on the incident that occurred in Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOE), Sokoto, on Thursday May 12, 2022 saying, while the killing of the female student, Deborah Yakubu Samuel, is strongly condemned by the community, Christian leaders and parents, too, should teach their children how to live in a mixed society in peace by not insulting other people’s religion, values.
In a communiqué issued and jointly signed by Alhaj Mustafa Olawuyi, President, and Alhaj Hashim Olapade, General Secretary, at the end of May 2022 edition of its monthly meeting, held in Osogbo on Sunday May 15, the Osun State Muslim Community said it discussed at length many topical issues especially the recent gruesomely murder of Deborah for blaspheming the Holy Prophet of Islam.
According to the communiqué, “The OSMC totally condemns the brutal killing of Deborah Samuel as jungle justice is never thought nor tolerated by Islam.
“We therefore strongly recommend that all perpetrators must be fished out and punished judiciously.”
It, however, warned saying, “Also we condemn the incessant unchecked disparaging and humiliating Islamic faith and its adherents which if not checked can always lead to chaos and unrest and will not do anyone good.
“We also strongly appeal to the governments at all levels to ensure due diligence in upholding justice with dispatch without fear or favour.”
Expressing the role of selective justice and treatment to incidents of this nature on the part of government, the Osun State Muslim Community is not happy up till now killers of Muslim leader killed by masqueraders in Osogbo and killing by thugs believed to have been rented by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who killed a Muslim student during a peaceful Hijab protest in Kwara State are being covered up.
It told Muslims and non-Muslims to respect other people’s faith to promote peaceful co-existence among adherents of various religious and ethnic backgrounds in the country.
“The case of the unjust killing of a Muslim leader in a mosque in Osogbo by masquerades sometime ago is still clueless while the case of killing of the innocent Habeebullah in Ijagbo during a peaceful protest on the use of hijab is yet to see the day light and many other similar cases.
“We finally appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims to respect other people’s faith to promote peaceful co-existence, love and support for one and other,” the Muslims said.
