The attention of the Osun State Chapter of MURIC has been drawn to the recent phone call made by the officers of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Ibadan, Oyo State, whose mode of invitation seem to raise more skepticism than conviction.
This was contained in a statement issued by the State Chairman of MURIC in the State of Osun, Dr. AbdulAzeez Ademokoya on Sunday,18th of December,2022.
The message reads, “We seriously frown at the phone call put to our director, Professor Ishaq Akintola by unknown persons who simply identified themselves as officers of the Oyo State D.S.S Office, and inviting the director of MURIC to travel down to Ibadan, Oyo State for questioning within seven days as if same DSS office is not available in Lagos State.
“We are particularly, perturbed with the unofficial mode of the invitation and the lag threat of seven days issued on phone to Professor Akintola who is receiving medical treatment in Lagos. It is well known that a patient should rest for some days even after he has been treated.
“MURIC Osun finds it difficult to believe that such mode of invitation can be adopted by the D.S.S officers at this age of learning and therefore, demand investigations into this act noting the spate of insecurity bedeviling the nation.
Moreover, Osun State chapter of MURIC is using this avenue to reach out to all the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and to all concerned Muslims in all parts of the country about the phone calls put to Professor Akintola (by unknown men). We remind peace loving Nigerians that Professor Akintola’s life had been threatened in so many instances, and had also escaped assassinations just for fronting for the rights of Muslims and demanding for a fair play for all Nigerians irrespective of their religious inclinations.
The Osun Chapter of MURIC has affirmed that its director and members are law abiding people and would not fall or succumb to informal antics used by individuals to intimidate its members.
Osun Muric makes bold to say that nothing must happen to Professor Akintola for demanding for the inalienable rights of Muslims in Nigeria and therefore, calls the attention of the Director General of the DSS to this ugly development in which a defender of the rights of Nigerian Muslims who has never been involved in any act of violence, threat or blackmail and whose organization uses ‘Dialogue, No Violence’ as its motto is being subjected to such discomfort and harassment.
“Again, we are not soothsayers, but we hope the invitation (by the unidentified persons) has no nexus with the press release issued by MURIC on the 12th of December 2022 condemning the act of forcing Muslim students and Muslim teachers to join Christians to partake in the Christmas Carol inside a church situated opposite St. Annes.
“Do you expect Muslims to remain mute when you do not respect their faith and religious inclinations? Is that justice? Can Muslims force Christians to do same in any part of the country even in the far North? Why do you have hatred for Muslims and their religion?
“And why must Muslims (both students and teachers) be coerced to partake in a Christmas Carol? Why must you force your religious practices on others? Why should those who interrogate such illegal action by school authorities be harassed by security agents? All these questions keep begging for answers.
“On a final note, we smell foul play from the informal invitation made to our director by officers of the DSS Ibadan office and more importantly, for rejecting Akintola’s suggestion to report to their Lagos office. So, we ask whether you have other hidden agenda for our director for seeking the rights of Muslims in Oyo State?”
