The Oyo State chapter of Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has demanded justice over the attack on Alfa Sulaiman AbdulAzeez, his two wives and others on Eid day in Iseyin area of Oyo State.
The group denounced the incident that happened on 16th June, 2024 on Eid-el-Kabir day in Iseyin in strong terms.
Mr. Sulaiman AbdulAzeez, his two wives in purdah (one heavily pregnant) and others were attacked and beaten up by soldiers, who acted on the order of the Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Imuse, Iseyin for allegedly slaughtering his ram facing the Church.
FOMWAN in a statement issued and signed by its Amirah, Dr. Lateefah Dairo in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. said the severity and brutality of the attack left Alfa Sulaiman’s head broken, body bruised, his heavily pregnant woman dehumanised, rough handled and dragged on the floor while the other wife’s head was smashed.
According to the statement, the Pastor of the Church, Apostle Sunday Ogundairo and his congregation claimed the Muslim family slaughtered their ram facing their church hence they invited soldiers numbering over 20 (one of them was said to be the son of the Pastor, while others were not real soldiers) who beat up and injured not less than five Muslim on the day of the most important festival in the Islamic world.
“Oyo FOMWAN unequivocally condemns the heinous and senseless attack on Alfa and his wives in Iseyin on Eid day. The fact that the perpetrators allegedly disguised themselves as soldiers and acted on the instruction of a Christian cleric makes the incident all the more reprehensible.
“No individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands or perpetrate violence against others, regardless of their religious beliefs or affiliations. The actions of these fake soldiers and the cleric who allegedly instigated them are a clear violation of human rights and the principles of peaceful coexistence.
“We call on the authorities to immediately investigate this incident, apprehend the perpetrators, and bring them to justice. We also urge religious leaders to promote tolerance, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among their followers,” the statement read.
Dr. Dairo said the issue was further aggravated as Mr. Sulaiman Abdul Azeez had repeatedly reported the Pastor to Aseyin of Iseyin and other community leaders over noise pollution, adding that the Pastor only used the Eid-el-kabir day issue (a non-issue at that) as an opportunity to unleash his aggression and vent his anger on the muslim family.
The Association expresses disappointment over the seemingly biased stance taken by the media generally on the incident, adding that the atrocity committed by the Pastor and his congregants against the muslim family in Iseyin on Eid-el-kabir day was not widely reported.
“This is not a good development. The Media should always give adequate publicity to happenings around us irrespective of who is involved. Oyo FOMWAN wants the media to always report events timely and adequately.”
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