Biafra: Arrest, prosecute & jail, IPOB, MASSOB, others – Islamic leaders urges Buhari

Some Islamic leaders have urged the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to clampdown on members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) who pose serious threat to the country.

Admitting that agitation is a form of freedom of expression, the clerics, however, urged government to apprehend and prosecute violent agitators to serve as deterrent to others.

The cleric gave the charge at the weekend in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at the commemoration of the new Islamic calendar (Hijra).

Pioneer Grand Khadi, Kwara state Sha’aria Court of Appeal Justice Abdulkadir Orire (rtd) said “the issues of IPOB and MASSOB in the South East must be seriously attended to before they degenerated to undesirable and uncontrollable levels.”

“Insecurity is the greatest impediment to industrialisation and growth of other investments which have contributed greatly to unemployment of our youths.

“To ameliorate the situation, there is the need to swiftly confront the Boko Haram insurgents headlong, bring back the remaining Chibok girls and others from captivity. Likewise, the Niger Delta militants and kidnappers should not treated with kid gloves.

“The military and para-military forces should be fortified and motivated to enhance adequate security of the lives and property of all Nigerians and others resident in Nigeria.”

Orire, also the Sarkin Malamai of Ilorin, decried the rampant incidents of ritual killings in many parts of the country.

He added that “the menace of killing, selling and buying of human beings for ritual purposes are very rampant nowadays. This act is highly ungodly, un-Islamic, barbaric and sinful.”

Current Grand Khadi of the state, Justice Muhammad Abdulkadir condemned at the growing cases of cultism and other anti-social behaviours in the Kwara.

“Our children are involved in series of nefarious activities such as cultism, killing of innocent people and kidnapping among others”, he lamented.

“Some scholars are engaged in using human beings for ritual purposes all in attempt to get riches by all means.

“All these are seriously against the teachings of Islam and what Ilorin and its environs are known for.

“We also call on government to set necessary machinery in motion for the protection of lives through regular surveillance of the community particularly at night to ward off the night marauders, who hide under the cloak of darkness to perpetrate evil acts.”