Sequel to
the resolution of the governors of the South West to give a legal backing to
the Amotekun security outfit, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on
the governors of the South West to allow the re-branded security agency to
embrace all citizens living in the sub-region. MURIC also advised that the new
security organization should not lean towards any religion or target any ethnic
group for victimization.
The call was
made on Monday 27th January, 2020 in a press statement issued by the director
of the human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The
statement further added:
“No homo
sapien compos mentis living in Yorubaland will oppose the setting up of a
security outfit to complement the existing security agencies on ground (the army,
police, NNDC, DSS, etc). We all want lives and properties secured all over
Nigeria. That is why people living on every street have security arrangements
in place while some individuals also have both day and night guards in their
private offices and homes.
“It is
therefore mischievous to give the impression that Muslims are against the South
West security initiative. No reasonable Nigerian today will frown at attempts
to boost security in any part of the country. What we oppose is the religious
and ethnic tinge which the handlers gave Amotekun.
“You cannot
blame Muslims for crying out when you ask them to bring birth certificates from
churches before joining Amotekun. Neither can you expect them to stand akimbo
when you tell them to bring letters of recommendation from churches. Muslims in
the Yoruba enclave are not opposing Amotekun per se. What they oppose is a
situation where a ostensibly anti-Islam security outfit comes into operation in
Yorubaland.
“Apart from
the reference to birth certificates from churches and letters of reference from
pastors, the choice of nomenclature is another controversial issue because it
has a strong Christian identity. Why ‘Amotekun’ as a name for crying out loud?
Research has revealed the biblical origin of this name and it makes Muslims
suspicious. Why Amotekun of all brands?
“Jeremiah
5:6 says, ‘A leopard shall guard over their city’. Amotekun is mentioned in
this verse with particular reference to guarding a city. Now, we have a
sub-region where Muslims have been under persecution for ages coming up with a
security outfit under the name of the same leopard mentioned in the bible as a
guard over the city. This is not a coincidence. The handlers of Amotekun picked
the name deliberately from the bible in order to score a spiritual point. It is
very critical. It calls for serious concern. So why give a security unit a
religious name?
“We advise
the planners of the new security outfit to give it another name in the interest
of peace and harmony in the sub-region. This is necessary if they want to carry
all stakeholders along. Amotekun as a name is already controversial. We do not
need a Christian security unit. Neither do we need a Muslim security outfit.
The security agency in the South West must not only be neutral, it must also be
seen to be neutral.
“We affirm
that Muslims form the majority in the population of the South West. They are
therefore critical stakeholders and the unity of the Yoruba cannot become fait
accompli without involving the Muslims in the sub-region. Muslims must be
carried along in any security network in the zone. We are interested in
security. We are security conscious. We will therefore join a South West
security initiative if it is not tainted with Christian landmarks. We will have
confidence in a security outfit that involves Muslim leaders, not one that
parades pastors, bishops and archbishops alone.
“It must
also be noted that a security group that starts with subtle threats to our
brethren in faith in another part of the country cannot be safe for Muslims in
Yorubaland. There is no racism or tribalism in Islam (Qur’an 49:13). It is a
global brotherhood. Yoruba Muslims love Yorubaland. They also love Nigeria. But
they owe their Creator, Allah, an unflinching and undiluted love towards their
brothers and sisters in Islam no matter their race, tribe or colour. From Allah
we came and unto Allah we shall return. On that Day, nobody will be judged on
the basis of his tribe but on the basis of his deeds on earth. Nonetheless, we
believe in a united Nigeria and we will support a security unit that
constitutes no threat to any tribe in the country, be it Igbo, Fulani, Ijaw, or
Tiv.
“However,
the latest assurance coming from certain quarters that birth certificates from
churches and letters of reference from pastors was not part of the original
pre-requisites is most welcome. MURIC will support any security arrangement
anywhere in Nigeria so long as such arrangement is devoid of gymnastic religiousity
and acrobatic ethnicity.
“In
addition, the organisers of Amotekun must desist from attempts to intimidate
perceived opponents of the scheme. Leaders of the group must caution their
foot-soldiers against excesses. They must distance themselves from arm-twisting
gimmicks like deliberately misinterpreting statements made by people who oppose
the Amotekun idea.
“For
instance, MURIC has very strong evidence that some elements in the Amotekun
camp have issued death threats to its leader. That is unacceptable. It is an
attempt to silence opposition. All opinions must be allowed in a democracy.
That is freedom of speech. Those who attempt to muzzle opinions give the
impression that they have hidden agenda. It presupposes that the Amotekun
security project will be biased and unprofessional when it finally comes on
board. We refuse to be intimidated. It changes nothing in our stand and style
of advocacy.
“In a
nutshell, as the organisers deliberate on the legal framework to back the
complementary security project in the South West, we advise that such legal
framework includes a clause that lays emphasis on religious neutrality,
security for all citizens residing in Yorubaland regardless of their ethnic
background and a new name which is acceptable to all faiths.”
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