The Oyo State Muslim Community has condemned kidnappers invoking Sharia to justify their actions, saying terrorists do not represent Islam and cannot speak for Muslims in the state.
In a press statement issued and signed by the Chairman, Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni, and the Secretary-General, Alhaji Murisiku Abidemi Siyanbade, on Friday, the community said recent criminal acts by abductors who used religious rhetoric to defend kidnapping and extortion were a distortion of Islamic teachings.
“Islam strictly forbids kidnapping, terrorism, and the extortion of innocent citizens,” the statement read. “Legitimate Sharia advocates for justice, peace, and the protection of human life, which directly contradicts the violent actions of criminals.”
The community cited Qur’an Chapter 3, Verse 32, which states that killing an innocent soul is as if one has slain all mankind, while saving a life is as if one has saved all mankind.
It pledged full support for law enforcement agencies and urged authorities to track down and apprehend the perpetrators swiftly.
The statement also called on residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and reject attempts to distort the peaceful teachings of Islam.
Under the leadership of the Chief Imam of Ibadanland and Grand Chief Imam of Oyo State, Sheikh Al-Imam Abdul-Ganiyy Abubakar Agbotomokekere, the community announced a special prayer for the safe and speedy release of students and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.
The prayer will hold on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the Yidi Agodi Praying Ground, Ibadan.
The community commended the intervention of the Oyo State Government and the Federal Government and prayed for their success in securing the release of the abductees without collateral casualties.
