25th April, 2018
PRESS RELEASE:
ARREST BENUE CHURCH ATTACKERS
St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Ayar-Mbalom in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State was yesterday invaded by hoodlums who killed 15 worshippers including two Catholic priests, Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly condemns this wanton waste of human life. It is wicked, repulsive and barbaric.
Human life is sacred and only Allah the Supreme Creator has the right to freely take what He gave. Therefore, killing for vengeance, religious or ethnic reason is not only primitive but also sinful.
Although the attackers also burnt 50 houses and sacked the entire community, we are singling out the vicious attack on the church for strong condemnation. Those who attack the house of God have no single atom of piety in their hearts. They shoud therefore not expect mercy from Allah, the Supreme Creator. They seek to set different ethnic groups and religions at one another’s throats. But they will fail by the Grace of Allah.
We are constrained to observe that most of the killings around the Middle Belt area are ignited by hate speech. We therefore appeal to Nigerians to exercise caution in their utterances, to respect human life, tolerate and forgive one another. Every peaceful community is a round hole whereas vengeance is a square peg. It is therefore an alien instrument designed to cause commotion.
We charge the Inspector General of Police to bring the killers of the worshippers in St. Ignatius Catholic Church to book. We implore the Federal Government to do everything possible to stop the carnage in the country, particularly in Benue and Taraba.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
