The Muslim Rights Concern group (MURIC) has reacted to a report that a ‘leader’ of the newly inaugurated South-West Security network, Amotekun has issued a quit notice to all Hausa-Fulani residents in the area.
MURIC described it as fake news and asked Nigerians to ignore the story. This was contained in a press statement issued by Dr. Sidiq Okanlawon Uthman media aide to the director of the organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
“It is fake news. We call on Nigerians to ignore the report. There is no such thing. How can anybody attribute an obvious accident along the pipelines to innocent citizens? It doesn’t add up. It is laughable, ludicrous and comical. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) gave a graphic picture of what happened exactly. According to the NNPC, a truck hit gas cylinders which exploded and oil pipelines later caught fire. How does that resemble terrorism?”
“NNPC has all the tools for the investigation and we stand by NNPC’s story. It is credible. The allegation of an act of terrorism by the Hausa/Fulani resident in Lagos is false, baseless and unacceptable. Where is their proof? We also have a strong doubt about the authenticity of the statement credited to the Amotekun leader.”
“Why was the leader’s name not mentioned? Who actually made the allegation? We urge Nigerians, especially Lagosians to go about their legitimate businesses without any fear. Amotekun leaders know the consequences of such a quit notice. Apart from being illegal, it will definitely elicit backlashes in form of retaliation against Yoruba citizens in the North. At worst, it is sheer grandstanding. Note that a similar quit notice was given to the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, last week as he was asked to leave Lagos.”
“We have no scintilla of doubt that Yoruba Muslims have no hand in such acts of hostility against Hausa/Fulani, Igbo or any other tribe who reside in the South West. Islam recognizes the unity of all mankind. We, therefore, urge the various ethnic groups living in the South West to eschew bitterness towards one another.”
