Nigerian Muslims under the leadership of Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad
Muhammad Abubakar III, have accused the country’s military of
persecuting Muslims and carrying out indiscriminate killings without
adhering to rules of engagement.
The
allegation was contained in a statement distributed by the Islamic
body, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI). The Sultan of Sokoto chairs the body.
The JNI demanded that the Federal Government and others concerned must
urgently address the issue, adding that the mistreatment of Muslims was
getting out of hand.
In a statement signed titled ‘MILITARY
OPERATION AND THE PERSECUTION OF INNOCENT MUSLIMS; THE KILLING OF 15
MUSLIMS IN KEANA AND THE MASSACRE IN ZAMFARA STATE’ and signed by the
group’s scribe, Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the JNI stated:
“The
dimension of extra judicial killing of Muslims by the military on a mere
whim of unsubstantiated suspicion leaves much to be desired, which
clearly depicts that Muslims have become endangered species, murdered
and maimed indiscriminately in the guise of fighting terrorism. The sad
incident of Keana 15 is another scenario where the settlements of
innocent Muslims were mercilessly massacred. These are people who have
been exonerated by the State Governor as being peace loving people and
law abiding. It is questionable that an operation of this magnitude
would be carried-out without the knowledge of the Chief Security Officer
of the State, nor other relevant security bodies. JNI is concerned that
the perpetrators of these genocidal acts against Muslims may go
scot-free as it was the case with Apo Killings and other similar heinous
acts.
The Benue state governor and his deputy have recently
exonerated the Fulani of Benue for the long outstanding relationship and
social cohesion between them. The social joke between them lives for
almost a century. How can all this suddenly change and the next neighbor
is accused because of his simplicity and unsophistication?
“The
various reports of human rights abuses and massacre of hundreds of
Muslims in Maiduguri by the military, as reported by human rights
groups, [are] painful and unacceptable. [There are] criminals on [the]
one hand and the supposed protectors of the innocent on the other, in
front is a lion and behind are wolves.
“We have found the usage
of the term Fulani herdsmen, hiding their religious identity, an attempt
to wipe out Muslims in the guise of fighting terrorism, as it suits the
situation, and using Muslim terrorist as it suits the other situation
as absurd. Why is it when a Christian commits a crime it is not called a
Christian crime or terrorism? The fact remains, [a] crime is [a]
crime[:] it is colorless, tribeless and religiousless.
“It is
sad to note that a Muslim milk maid, a mother of five, was molested and
killed by a military man around Dei-Dei area of the Federal Capital
Territory. We are not aware of any step taken by the military authority
on the matter. As usual they will buy time and the case will die
naturally.
“We can say without any fear of contradiction that
there is a grand agenda to destabilize the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria. If
any Nigerian is in doubt regarding the hidden grand agenda to
destabilize Muslims in Nigeria, and cautiously reduce their rising human
capital, then the Zamfara State incidence should have removed this
doubt. An event where vigilante personnel working to restore peace would
be the subject of a grand massacre, tells much about the chaos and
insecurity some enemies want to push our states into. We call on all our
Governors, politicians and indeed every well-meaning citizen to do
something before it gets out of hand.
“Where is the human rights
compliance and rule of engagement by the military personnel involved in
maintaining peace and security? Why are the defaulting military
personnel not brought to book for [deterrence] and forestalling future
occurrence? The military should know that it is extremely dangerous to
polarize security agencies along religious line. It will have far
reaching negative effect in the country, especially at this material
time, where the efforts of all are required to cushion the effect of the
pains we are passing through.
“JNI unequivocally condemns the
extra judicial killing of 15 Fulani Muslims in Keana, the molesting and
subsequent killing of Binta Usman, the milk maid and all the human
rights abuses on innocent Muslims in Maiduguri. We strongly call for
bringing to justice the perpetrators of transgression against innocent
citizens who have the right to practice the religion they choose.”
