Osun State Muslim community has called on the Federal and State Governments to declare ‘a state of emergency’ on kidnapping, ritual killings and social injustice.
According to the Muslim community, kidnapping, ritual killings and social injustice are rampant in the society, hence the need by the FG and state governments to take drastic steps in combating the menace.
The call was made at the 1439 A.H Hijrah celebration held at the Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo on Sunday.
The community stated this just Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who was the Chief Host of the event, called on Muslims to imbibe Hijrah lessons by intensifying prayers for the state and Nigeria against all manners of afflictions like economic hardship and insecurity and social injustices.
Aregbesola who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Adebisi Obawale said Prophet Muhammed’s journey from Mecca to Medina signified his commitment to promoting peace, tolerance and propagation of Islam, urging the Muslims faithful to ensure peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims.
Delivering his Hijrah message on the theme of the programme tagged ‘Kidnapping and Ritual Killings in Nigeria; Islamic Perspective, the Vice Chairman of the Muslim community, Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi said the recent ritual killings in some part of Osun state called for concern and proactive measure from the government and security agents.
Olawuyi stated that Islam forbids unjust killings, quoting from the Quran that ‘If anyone slays a human being unless it be for murder or for spreading corruption on earth, it shall be as though he had killed all mankind; whereas if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.”
He traced the causes of kidnapping and ritual killings to security inadequacies, social injustice and greed, calling on members of the public to embrace the teachings of Quran for a safe, just and friendly society.
In his address, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Musibaudeen Adelasoye said the trending kidnapping and ritual killings was alarmingly disgraceful and abhorring, saying that it posed threat to the dignity, sacredness and virtue of human life.
The guest lecturer, Sheik Musbaudeen Orimadegun accused political leaders, government functionaries and religious leaders of sponsoring kidnapping and ritual killings, saying that was why it is difficult to curtail the criminal acts.
According to Orimadegun, the insincerity of security agents and corrupt judicial system was frustrating efforts to combat kidnapping and ritual killings, saying that majority of culprits arrested for the offences have been eventually freed by either the security agents or court.
He said for Nigeria to have a safe society, individuals must shun greed, lust for power and ‘fast way to get rich’ without stress.
Aregbesola said the state government was not relenting in maintaining and sustaining the status of Osun as the ‘most peaceful state’ in Nigeria, vowing to tackle petty crimes and social injustice across the state.
The governor said his administration has taken security matter with seriousness and that it is committed to a secured, safe and crime free state by providing vehicles to all security agencies in the state and as well supporting them with other logistics to aid their effectiveness and operations.
He commended the security agents in the state on their efforts in combating kidnapping and ritual killings, just as he challenged them to totally kick-out the criminal act and enhance the security of the state.
Packaged by Rahman Salami
