Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has called for the arrest of organisers of charity events in Okija, Anambra State and Abuja where scores were stampeded to death.
Twenty-nine and 10 died in Anambra and Abuja respectively while 35 children earlier passed away in similar version in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
While organisers and promoters of that of Ibadan have been arrested and have had their days in court, those of Abuja and Okija are walking free to the disgust of MURIC.
In a statement the Muslims’ group’s Executive Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola released, it viewed the situation as an injustice that should be addressed.
Akintola wrote: “MURIC is interested in knowing why it was only the organisers of the Ibadan event that were arrested while those in Abuja and Okija were allegedly left free. We therefore demand the immediate and unconditional release of the organisers of the Ibadan event.
“Queen Naomi Silekunola in particular is well known for her philanthropic activities and nobody in his or her right mind will assume that she deliberately planned a massacre.
“By the same token, the arrest of the principal of Islamic High School, Orita Bashorun, Ibadan, was quite unnecessary because the alumni of that school has confirmed that the venue was approved by the Oyo State Ministry of Education and not by the principal acting unilaterally.
“The Obi Jackson Foundation led by Chief Ernest Obiejesi had good intentions as usual but things still went wrong. However, Anambra police did not haul him into detention the way Oyo police detained Queen Naomi and Mr Fasasi, the school principal.”
Continued: “The Nigeria Police has left many questions unanswered regarding its handling of the three tragic episodes. A stampede is a stampede. One should not be differentiated from the other. Ditto for the issue of deaths. Homo sapiens died in all the events, not goats, not dogs.
“All the organisers should have been treated equally. But as things stand, it appears the sledgehammer descended on Ibadan organisers alone while Abuja and Okija merely vowed to investigate the calamities.
“There is only one way to go, arrest the organisers of the Abuja and Okija events or set the Ibadan organisers free. The honourable thing the Oyo State Police Command can do is to set those detained free immediately and unconditionally while the state government sets up a panel to investigate the tragedy. The police should not blow hot and cold at the same time.”
